When Hearts Collide
by Lhyaran
Summary: Capturing one's true love has never been so difficult. KiGo
1. Homecoming

**~o0o~**

Sequel to: Home is where the Heart is.

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Kim Possible or any characters associated with the show.

 **~o0o~ ~o0o~ ~o0o~**

Dr. Betty Director sat in silence as the obsolete Global Justice transport winged it's way from New York to Washington, D.C. She was alone in its passenger hold, with nothing but a borrowed mobile phone and a single pilot in the cockpit to keep her company. She found the stark interior of the cabin a boon for her thoughts, especially after the opulence of the United Nations. Deep in contemplation about the state of the world after the Perses Virus, she paid no attention to the night's sky or the glittering lights far below.

She grimaced as they hit some turbulence, the massive bruise on her chest from being shot still painful.

 _Dammit!_ she thought in annoyance. _I don't need this at the moment_. Distracted by her discomfort, she glanced out the window and at a towering thunderstorm in the distance. _The world's a tinderbox just waiting to be lit, and Global Justice is in pieces!_

She sighed and rubbed her good eye, then grabbed her phone as it rang.

"Yes?" she snapped.

" _Sir,"_ Will Du promptly replied.

"Will? Report!"

" _It's not good, sir. The IT department has tried everything, but our central servers are completely wiped. Nothing can be recovered. That includes our backup and offsite servers as well._

"I see. And the rest?

" _All erased or damaged beyond repair. Personal computers, tablets, laptops, smartphones, anything with a Global Justice I.D. that was active at the time of the event, is gone._

Dr. Director dropped her head, anguish on her face. She was alone so she could allow this rare sign of vulnerability, but not for long.

 _The Event!_ she thought with annoyance. _We're already ascribing the worst data catastrophe of the modern age to a catchy little name. As if that somehow makes it better. And we're still no closer to finding out who unleashed the virus!_ She put it out of her mind, as it was time to focus on what she could fix.

"Our agents, how are we doing?" she asked.

" _We've managed to make contact with over seventy percent of our active operatives, more as we speak. They've been relayed your orders that they're to stand down for now, unless an officer in charge feels the need to intervene."_

"Very good."

 _"Sir_ _, your mission?"_

That he had broken protocol and questioned her was a surprise. It was a sign of his growth, and one that was long overdue. There was worry in his voice, and that was perfectly understandable. The operation she had led to the United Nations was about the survival of Global Justice as an entity for good.

"It was a success," she replied.

" _SUCCESS!"_ he called out.

Dr. Director heard jubilant cheering in the background at Will's announcement. She sat there smiling and allowed her agents their moment of victory. It would be a massive boost for their morale after the last few days. Eventually their exuberance calmed, and she felt it right to continue.

"As expected, the members of the Global Justice Oversight Committee surrendered with barely a whimper," she said, continuing. "I've handed them over to the Federal Authorities for their past misdeed, and for their part in the Middleton debacle." She smirked at the memory of their arrest, one she would cherish for years to come. "My meeting with the ambassador went smoothly, and the UN Security Council barely took an hour to ratify my new proposals for Global Justice and its updated command structure."

" _Excellent news, sir. I– Yes, what is it?"_ His voice became less clear as he questioned someone nearby.

She patiently waited, Agent Du's words now muffled as he spoke to whoever. She did not chastise him for being cut off. Whatever was urgent enough to pull him away from conversing with a superior officer, was clearly important.

" _And you're sure?"_ he questioned. " _Okay, I'll be with you shortly."_ There was the sound of a throat being cleared, and he said, _"Sir,_ it's Shego. She's awake and on the move!"

"Where?!"

~o0o~

It was still dark as Shego turned her motorcycle off the icy highway, the wintry clouds promising wild weather in the not too distant future. They mimicked her thoughts, her emotions still chaotic after her breakneck ride through the night. She made her way along the empty service road, and barely paid any attention to the lookout's deserted parking lot as she came to a stop. Turning off the engine, she dropped the kickstand and hopped off the sleek machine.

She felt stiff, frozen, after her ride in nothing but her harlequin catsuit. Even her abnormally warm body temperature had been unable to handle the freezing conditions. Lighting up her hands, she ran them up and down her arms as she walked over to the lookout's vantage point.

 _Go City_ , she thought, staring out over the lake and at the metropolis in the distance.

She had fled Kim's place to get away from her spiraling thoughts, yet she had wound up here. The place where Rachel had died and her brother had betrayed her. She pushed those painful memories back down, the metal railing twisting in her grip. A sneer crossed her lips as she focused on Go Tower, her breath steaming in the frigid air. The gaudy monolith stood resplendent on its island in the middle of the lake, it's towering walls lit from top to bottom by powerful spotlights.

"A shining force for good," she muttered. _Or so Henry kept telling us_.

She leaped over the railing, and with a few deft drops landed by the shoreline. She watched as it began to snow then sighed and began walking along the water's edge, letting the wind and waves calm her troubled soul. Of course it did not work. She felt alone. She had always been a loner, but now she was feeling it more than ever. It was Kim. The girl had squirreled her way into her cold, dead heart, bringing up emotions that she had buried long ago.

Thinking of Kim, some of her pain and anger diminished as she pictured her smile, her effervescent personality, and the feel of her body from their night together. She kicked a rock out into the lake as her mind continued to spin.

 _I told Kimmie 'I liked her', and I gave her my real name!_ A mirthless chuckle escaped her throat. _Me and redheads, when will I ever learn?_ She shook her head in disbelief. _She'll be_ _searching for me soon, if she's not already?_

She glanced around, half-expecting to see Kim running towards her.

 _No, she's gone. It's for the best! I won't risk her getting killed, again!_ She had let Kim get caught up in the whirlpool of her life, and all she could guarantee was more hurt for her if they stayed in each other's orbit. She grimaced. _It's Rachel all over again! But I showed them!_ She clenched her hands, fingers glowing. _I finally got my revenge on GJ and Leona. Whatever happens next, those lying, blackmailing pieces of shit got what was coming to them!_

She threw her head back and yelled, "You hear me? You got what was coming to you!"

Years of pent up rage could not be contained as she turned and unleashed plasma bolt after plasma bolt into the lake, the dark waters erupting and exploding into steam.

She was sweating by the time she calmed down enough to stop, then she flopped to the icy ground.

 _I unleashed the Perses Virus!_

She sat there in the dark, as she brooded over everything that had happened this past week.

~o~

 _Time to leave_ , Shego thought. _It's what I do best!_

She stood, grunting at the amount of snow that fell from her body. Stretching tired muscles, she headed back along the shoreline before nimbly bounding up the cliff face to land in a crouch … no longer alone.

"Shego!" a warmly dressed woman called out from the far side of the parking lot, a large, black SUV parked behind her

Shego stood, warily eyeing the unknown individual and the car. The woman's attire and vehicle screamed government, and there was only one agency that paid this sort of attention to her.

She flipped off the Global Justice agent, then ignored her.

"I have a call from Dr. Director for you," the agent called out.

Shego stopped, turning on the spot to face her. Taking this as acceptance, the woman ran up to her and held out a mobile phone. Shego glared at it, noting that beneath the agent's bulky winter wear she was quite young and with a certain color to her hair.

 _Red hair and athletic? Bets sure knows who to send!_ _S_ he could also see that the woman was clearly worried that Shego would have more bite than bark for this impromptu meeting. _Screw their cloak and dagger shit!_ She grabbed the phone and crushed it, lighting up her hand as she turned away.

"Follow me, and you and your team will end up in hospital!" she snarled over her shoulder.

She straddled her motorcycle, melted pieces of metal and plastic cooling on the asphalt behind her.

~o0o~

Shego pushed her bike off the ferry and along the Go Island dock, and before too long she was standing on dry land. She arched her head back and up and stared at the massive, letter shaped building in front of her. It was a monumental waste of money, but when the government of the day writes you a blank check so they don't have to face up to charges of inhuman experiments on children, then this is the sort of thing you end up with.

 _Wesley and Wendell are still at Kimmie's, so let's see who's home and awake. Hopefully, no one!_

She put her hand on the access panel by the entrance and activated her glow, hearing a ding of acceptance. Even after all this time and everything that had happened, they still kept her in the database. She watched the large door slide open, then walked inside with her bike.

Pop music filled the corridor, the Oh Boyz' latest tween hit blaring out through the sound system.

 _Ohh, great. Henry's here._

She leaned her motorcycle against the wall as the door shut behind her, then continued down the hallway and into the main hub for Go Tower.

She let out a high pitched shriek and slapped a hand across her eyes. It was accompanied by a similar, girly squeal from Hego, then a crash and a bang as he tumbled to the floor. She had expected all sorts of dramatic tension on arriving, but finding her brother naked and dancing on Team Go's conference table while swinging a towel around his head was never in the equation. It was something an estranged sister should never have to see.

She shuddered, wanting to gouge her eyes out. All brooding thoughts of Kim squelched from her mind.

"Sh-Shego, I wasn't expecting you!" Hego said.

"I can see that!" _Saw that!_ "Why the Hell are you dancing _in here_ without any clothes on?!"

"I'd just hopped out of the shower, and came downstairs to check on the GoMergency hotline. My favorite song came on, and I just got caught up in the moment.

She heard him scrabbling about on the floor; who knew what for.

"It's okay," he said.

She parted her fingers to see Hego standing on the far side of the table, the towel now wrapped around his waist. It was only marginally better than before, his chest glistening with sweat, hair tousled. She slammed her eyes shut, a tightly clenched fist pressed into her temple to try and drive the picture away.

"Put some damn clothes on!" she yelled.

His hurried footsteps departed the room, and she felt it safe to drop her hand and open her eyes. She was alone, with just the bouncy pop music to calm her rattled soul. It had been years since she had last stood right here. The few times she had ventured into Go Tower since then she had always taken a different route rather than pass through this room.

 _First_ … she thought, heading over to the central console. She pushed a button and the music stopped, blessed silence filling the room. _Muuuch better_.

She looked around and shrugged, not a thing had changed. Console, table and chairs, and everything else, all where she remembered them. It was like stepping back in time, to a different part of her life. She walked over to the emerald green seat and ran her hands over the leather upholstery, not immune to a brief feeling of nostalgia.

 _We did some good here, playing superhero. I would never have met Rachel otherwise…_

She tightened her grip on the chair, resisting the urge to rip it from the floor and hurl it through the jumbo sized view screen. It shocked her. Not the urge, but the resisting.

 _Kimmie's a bad influence._

Thinking of Kim made her mood plummet, and she trudged back to get her motorcycle. Go Tower would be one of the first places Kim would check for her, and she had to be gone by then. Talking with Kim, in person, would be too much. There was a good chance she would weaken in her resolve, the girl having that effect on her nowadays.

 _Disappearing is my only choice!_

She walked out into one of the access corridors and took a lift up to the hangar bay. That Hego would want to talk to her was a given, but there was no reason she had to wait around for him.

~o~

"Shego…?" Hego called out as soon as he stepped out of the elevator.

She did not bother answering right away, seeing as she was upside down and deep in the bowels of the hovercraft she had arrived in a week ago. She was using her Dr. Drakken created phone to scan every inch of the vehicle before she left, and she already had a small pile of tracking devices on the floor by her dangling feet, and there were bound to be more.

"Yeah?" she eventually replied.

"I thought you may have gone already?"

"Nope."

Busy with her detective work, she felt him arrive next to the hovercraft. He did not say a word, and soon his presence was a distraction she did not need. She sighed in exasperation. Last time she had been here it had just been Melvyn, Wesley and Wendell. Henry had been off doing the whole superhero thing. So this was first time the two of them had been alone together since his betrayal. Without the buffer of someone else nearby, she could feel all the history that lay between them.

She found another tracking device and crushed it, her annoyance at her brother rising to dangerous levels.

"What?!" she snapped.

"Um… about before–"

"We will never talk of it again! _Right?"_

"Yes. Good. Very understanding of you. Noble."

She did not bother answering as she went back to work, wishing she could just put him out of her mind.

"It is good to have you back on the side of right and justice, dear sister," he announced, happily.

She groaned, facepalming. Covering her already dirty features in more grease. He had not changed one iota, still living in his world of black and white, good and bad. All from his love of comic book superheroes. In a roundabout way it was her own fault. By taking down Goondam and helping save Kim's life, she had only reinforced in his mind that she was once again saving the world.

"Are you staying?" he asked, hopefully.

The question caught her off-guard, the option never occurring to her. Their split had been so irreversible back then. And while their years apart had dulled the pain of his treachery, she was still not ready to forgive … and would never forget. She ignored his query and let her silence answer for her, then heard some shuffling as he sat down next to her.

"You are well, Shez?" he asked, worry in his voice.

She stopped working at hearing that nickname, one he had not called by her in years. Hanging there, her pulse sped up at the heartwarming memories it invoked. How he had sat and read to her every night as she lay in bed, dying of cancer. Then had come the meteor, ripping apart more than just their bodies. They were still family after their miraculous survival, yet they had grown distant. It had culminated in his attempt to sell away her freedom to Global Justice, all so he could save his precious Team Go.

 _He has NO RIGHT to care!_

She slid out of the hovercraft, facing away from him as she swum in emotions. Time healed all wounds, but not this bleeding gash in her soul. Her hands flared green and she spun, rage consuming her. Hego sat there with an open and honest expression on his concerned face, his well-muscled form clad in some denim jeans and a light blue t-shirt. Her jaw dropped, flames sputtering out as she stared at the Gay Pride symbol emblazoned on his chest. It was of a colorful rainbow partially covered by a grey cloud, and below it were the words 'Haters Gonna Hate'.

 _I can't believe he's wearing it!_ It was so out of left field that her anger just evaporated, and she found herself smiling then chuckling, unable to hold it in. _Of all the people in the world, he'd be the last to play for the other side. There's way too big a stick up his butt to ever relax that much._

 _Maybe he needs something else up there?_

That thought was too much for her, and she collapsed against the hovercraft as she burst into laughter. His puzzled face only increased her mirth, and she slid to the floor with tears in her eyes. She let it flow, the joyous feeling so much better than all the fury and anguish she was holding at bay. She ended up on her back, eyes closed and arms over her stomach as she just laughed and laughed. Eventually her giggle attack subsided, and she lay there staring up at the ceiling.

 _Ohh, I needed that_ , she thought, some of the heaviness gone from the last few days. _It would be better if I could share it with Kimmie, but my doofus of a brother will have to do._

She sat up, wiping an arm across her eyes.

"I can't believe you actually wore it?" she said, gesturing at his shirt.

"Your Christmas present from last year?" he replied, glancing at the emblem on his chest.

"Yeah, that. Why?"

"Why, Dear Sister? I wear this shirt to celebrate your triumphant return to the side of good and righteousness. Of how beauty conquered the beast." He sprang to his feet, fists on hips as he stared off into the distance. "I wear it in support of star-crossed lovers united at last." He turned, pointing at Shego. "And I wear it in support of your passionate and undying devotion to each other."

 _Say wut now?_ She pinched the bridge of her nose, a headache coming on. "Henry, what the fuck are you talking about?"

"Why, you and Kim, of course."

"Kim and I?"

"Yes."

"Are…?"

"Together!"

"Kim and I are WHAT!?"

"Kim announced that you and her are…" His voice began petering out under her fierce glare. "Um… a couple."

 _Did my head just explode?_ she thought, feeling dizzy. She leaned forwards, palms on the ground to steady herself. _What went on while I was out of it? Kimmie can't mean it, can she?_ The look on Hego's face told her it was true. _But, I never said– I never did– I– I–_

She ran out of words, only knowing that a lot must have happened after her collapse.

 _Kimmie never asked me!_ It was a silly little thought. Just her pride speaking up. _Rachel never asked, either!_ She punched the floor as her memories turned dark and bloody. _Kimmie has to know that every lunatic out to get me will now be gunning for her!_

"Who knows?" she snapped, looking up.

"Just family."

"Good, keep it that way!"

"Why, what's wrong? It's never bothered you before."

"Mendelos!" she growled.

A small part of her reveled in the hurt that crossed his face at the name of their jailer, torturer, and murderer of her love. He looked down, twiddling fingers that could crush coal into diamonds. He quickly recovered, his face full of confidence as a vibrant blue glow encompassed his body.

"This is different," he announced, loudly.

"Why?!"

"Kim is a hero!" He struck a majestic pose, an arm and a finger pointing to the heavens. "She can protect herself from the vile miscreants of this world."

"All it takes is one–" She choked up, flinching as a large hand rested on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry about Rachel, Shez. I'm truly, truly sorry. I–"

"Don't!" she replied, holding up an open palm. "Just… don't. Leave it where it's at." She pushed his arm away. "It's the best you're going to get outta me, for now…"

He nodded in understanding, disappointment on his face.

 _If he blubs… I'm still gonna sock him!_

~o0o~

Shego piloted the invisible hovercraft through the dark and silent stratosphere. It was night once again, her flight southwest taking her over the equator and into the balmy tropics of the Pacific Ocean. She was deep in thought at the strange feelings churning inside her from Henry apologizing. It had taken him years, and she was unsure how to deal with it all. Couple that with Global Justice wanting to talk with her, and Kim's bombshell of a 'possible' relationship, and it was turning out to be one of those days.

She came out of her brooding as the autopilot beeped, alerting her that she was nearing her destination. She throttled down to subsonic then grabbed the control stick, and with the flick of a switch she resumed manual control. Grinning in exhilaration, she brought the craft down so low that it was skimming only a few feet above the churning waves.

She watched her instruments and with practiced ease brought the hovercraft to a dead stop, the dark and windswept ocean completely empty as far as the eye could see. A buzz from her phone let her know she was synchronizing, and with a final trill from the device, she and the hovercraft faded from view; while for Shego an island appeared out of nowhere.

 _Home!_

A single peak dominated the tropical paradise, a distant waterfall glimmering in the moonlight. White, sandy beaches surrounded the isle, which were in turn circled by vibrant coral reefs. Further inland were lush forests covering the hillsides, while crystal clear streams wound their way down to the shore.

She popped the canopy and let the refreshing breeze and familiar sounds wash over her, smiling in happiness as all her cares and worries just melted away. And as she watched, lights began turning on all over the atoll as her Fortress of Solitude woke up. She piloted the hovercraft over the trees and towards a house came into view, though a Mediterranean Villa would be a better description of the lavish, sprawling domicile. It was a far cry from Go Tower, and especially from all the crummy, dank lairs she had lived in while working for Drakken.

She landed with barely a sound, and was out of the cockpit and striding across a gravelly path as the entryway opened before her.

A woman exited the house, looking strikingly similar to Shego. She was older, her face a tad more lined with age, but she had the same strong cheekbones and elegant jaw line as the person in front of her. Long, wavy red hair framed her worried features, her green eyes shining with intelligence and warmth.

"Firefly, I wasn't expecting you back so soon!" the woman said, in a rich Brooklyn accent.

"Yeah, well… shit happens!" Shego grumbled in reply.

"Sheridan Elizabeth Go, language!" She raised a stern finger and wagged it side to side, her expression falling into a familiar scowl. It was an expression that Kim would know all too well. "And don't you dare give me any backtalk, young lady!"

"Yes, Mama," Shego replied meekly. "Sorry."

"Now, come here," Mrs. Go said, holding out her arms. "I can see something's troubling you."

Shego dropped her backpack and stepped into the waiting embrace, a deep, shuddering sigh escaping her. She held on tight, refusing to show too much even here. Hands rubbed her back as quiet words of comfort were whispered, making everything right in the world.

She wiped her eyes as she stepped away, smiling weakly.

"Better?" Mrs. Go asked.

"A little."

"Well then, let's get you inside. Have you eaten today? You look half starved."

"A few nibbles Henry served up while I was at the Tower, nothing else."

"A late dinner it is, then. You go have a shower and freshen up, and I'll have something nice and hot on the table when you come out."

Shego opened her mouth to refuse, then closed it under the stern eye from her mother.

"Okay, Mama."

~o~

Shego passed through the vaulted foyer of her villa and made a beeline for the master bedroom, the decor of her home all polished wood floors and muted, warm hues. No ostentatious displays of her signature colors in site. She closed the suite's double doors, dropped her bag on the floor, and without stopping headed straight into her bathroom. She did not bother with the lights, a blazing finger lighting half-a-dozen scented candles about the room. A quick nod at the ambience and she kicked the door shut, then peeled off her catsuit. Tired eyes noted all the dirt and grime her mother had seen, and as unique as her outfit was, she still tossed it into a crumpled heap on the black marble counter.

"Later," she muttered. _I'll clean it later_.

She eyed the massive bathtub with longing before shaking her head.

 _I'll fall asleep if I do, and then I'll be dragged out for diner._

She turned the shower on, the water hot and instant and oh-so-needed as she stepped into the deliciously heated spray. She closed her eyes and rested her hands against the slate wall, letting the water run through her hair and down her back. It was heaven.

She had no idea how long she just stood there, feeling the tension slowly drain from her body. She twitched occasionally as images of the past week reared their ugly head, but she focused on the here and now and the safety and comfort of home.

Eventually she stirred, a sigh of complaint escaping her lips as she reached for her loofah. She had missed the ability to pamper herself while she bathed at Kim's. It made her feel special as she indulged herself, in lieu of having someone in her life. But she was so bone weary that it could wait till next time. For now she just soaped and washed herself before moving onto her pride and joy, her hair, which she felt needed some attention after the last few days.

 _Done!_ she thought, sluicing the last of the conditioner from her raven-black tresses.

She turned off the water and stepped out, her fingers well-wrinkled and her skin nicely flushed from the long shower. She grabbed a large, black towel and wrapped it around herself, a second for her hair, then rested her hands on the counter and stared at her reflection in the mirror.

 _A week! I lasted one goddam week before running back home! Some master criminal I am, or was!_ She sneered, seeing the haunted look in her tired eyes. _I like Kimmie_. The thought came out of nowhere, pushing everything else aside. _But she's straight, vanilla straight, yet she— We– Dammit! How? Why? It's not possible!_ She groaned as she heard Kim's catchphrase of 'anything's possible for a Possible'.

She leaned her forehead against the mirror and sighed.

"Me and redheads…!" She lightly punched the glass with a weak fist. "So what if Kimmie's calling it a relationship! We can't, it's for the best…!"

She rolled her shoulders and stood up straight, then threw open the bathroom door and stepped out into a wonderful aroma from her childhood. It was a bittersweet smell, bringing back memories of rationing during World War II, her cancer, and when they had last been together as a family.

~o~

Shego walked into the massive, open kitchen and living area dressed in a loose t-shirt that hung off one shoulder and some baggy shorts. There was no need to dress up, as she was home and would soon be in bed. She took in the empty area and smiled slyly to herself, then made a beeline for the oven and the covered plate inside. Donning an oven mitt with a cat motif, she lifted her dinner out and peaked under the cover, her stomach rumbling at the liver loaf, mashed potatoes, and buttered spinach inside. Silent as a mouse she added some fresh salad from a bowl on the marble counter, stuck a slice of Melba toast between her teeth, poured herself a glass of chilled water from the fridge, and with plate and drink in hand, she snuck back to her bedroom.

Or tried too.

She was halfway across the living room when a throat cleared itself behind her.

"The dinner table is the other way!" Mrs. Go announced.

Shego froze with one foot in the air then guiltily turned around, her mother standing in the kitchen with crossed arms and tapping foot.

"Umm…" Shego said, through the toast in her teeth.

She looked longingly towards her bedroom door, then with a resigned sigh walked back to the dining room. At the last possible moment she changed her mind and headed out onto the patio through some sliding glass doors, and sat down at one of the covered, wooden tables. The view from here was breathtaking, as she looked over the beautifully landscaped pool and surrounds, then down to the beach and out across the twinkling sea.

She grimaced as her mom sat down, her gaze returning to her meal.

"Can we talk about it later?" Shego asked, a plaintive whine in her voice.

"I know what your 'later' means, Firefly. It means never!"

"Mama, please stop calling me that. You know it's about the most annoying thing ever!"

It was a year long argument they had been having, with Shego never gaining the upper hand.

"I've been calling you firefly since before the accident, and I'm not going to stop now," Mrs. Go said. "Would you prefer I start using Sheridan, instead?" She raised an eyebrow in question as she took a sip from her wine glass.

"My name's Shego!"

"Your name is Sheridan Go, not that silly little alias you and your brothers thought up ages ago."

Shego stuffed some food in her mouth to give herself some time to think. It was true that her mom had been calling her firefly ever since their family had moved out west from New York. Her younger self had been fascinated by all the fireflies in the countryside as she enjoyed Mother Nature for the first time in her life, while in the periphery of her memories her father had been busy founding Go City for its oil deposits. She had adored the name back then, but since the meteor and her acquired glow it had taken on a whole new, darker connotation. She disliked it now, but it would be far worse if her mom started using her real name all the time.

 _Firefly or Sheridan? She's got me trapped, and she knows it!_ She stabbed some liver loaf with her fork and shoved it in her mouth. She had an inkling that her mother took particular delight in referring to her by that cutesy nickname over all others.

"Fine! Call me whatever you want!" Shego grumbled.

"And I shall, as always. Now, care to tell me why you came home?"

"Mama, please–"

"What? I can't be worried for my daughter? Especially when she won't tell me what's troubling her? Oh dearie me, what is the world coming too!"

"Look, it's not going to work."

"What's not?"

"You guilting me into talking."

"I guess you don't want any of my special apple crumble and custard for dessert then?"

Shego's mouth instantly watered, the bribe doing its job as only a mother knew how.

"Fine, you win!"

~o~

Shego drunkenly stepped out of the bathroom, and with a wobbly detour to grab another bottle of scotch, she rejoined her mom beside the pool. She plopped herself down and slid her feet back in the water, then looked at the disapproving expression on her mother's face.

"You wanted to talk, we're talking!" Shego said, slurring her words.

"And we'll talk about your drinking in the morning," Mrs. Go said. She sighed as Shego took a long swig from her freshly acquired bottle. "So, before you ran off to the bathroom for the umpteenth time, you finally got around to telling me that you and your former nemesis, who you talk about all the time and spent the last week with, kissed!"

"Uh-huh."

"Annnd?"

Shego closed her eyes to stop the world spinning and tried to focus her tired and boozy thoughts on not giving too much away. There was no way she was going to tell her mother that she and Kim had slept together, or better yet, fucked each other silly. A kiss … was romantic, and not the animalistic tumble between the sheets that had actually taken place. She took a long gulp of courage from her bottle, then looked at her mom.

"And nothing! Kimmie's was just mixed up. DNAmy's genetic zipper must have addled her brain!"

"Are you sure this machine affected her?"

"Yes. No. I don't know, but it's the only thing that makes sense. She had to be confused and just wanting to thank me, and it all sorta got muddled up in her head. Give it a day or two and she'll be all better."

"Do you want her to be better?"

"Look, it's not gonna happen. I want her to stay alive, not dead!"

"Not every girl is Rachel, Firefly."

"Aren't they!? One week with me, and she– she–"

Shego shivered at the memory of Kim dying in her arms, the bottle slipping from her limp fingers. It shattered, the alcohol running across the pavers like blood. Kim's blood. She stared at it as the nightmarish images of that day came thick and fast, until a comforting arm slipped around her shoulders. She did not look up, her hair hanging limply around her stricken face. She started to tremble, the grip from her mother tightening as words of comfort were spoken.

"I need another drink!" Shego growled, drawing in a long, deep breath.

"I think you've had quite enough for one night," Mrs. Go said.

 _It's never enough!_ She looked at all the empty scotch bottles on the ground behind her. _Yeah, okay, maybe she's right?_ She sat up, her mother brushing the hair from her face. "I'm never going to put Kimmie at risk!"

"I understand, but since you're planning on seeing someone about your issues, perhaps you might want to consider what it could be like with Kim after that? If she's still interested in dating my beautiful little girl, that is?"

"Mama…" Shego replied, blushing at the motherly compliment.

~o0o~

Shego collapsed into bed, asleep before her head had even touched the pillow.

Mrs. Go smiled down at her daughter as she pulled the sheet up, then gently kissed her on the forehead.

"Sleep tight, Firefly. See you in the morning."

She reached the door and turned to wave goodnight, and noticed a flashing light inside Shego's backpack. A mother's curiosity took over as she walked back in, and lifted out Shego's silently vibrating phone. An eyebrow shot up as she saw Kim's name on the incoming call screen, but it was more for the photo associated with it. The picture was of Kim curled up in bed in nothing but a skimpy tank top and some boy-cut panties as she spooned a pillow. As for who the pillow could be substituting for, Mrs. Go easily put two and two together.

 _Well, well, Firefly, you did leave out some interesting little tidbits._

She was a mother at heart, and that meant she put her daughter's welfare ahead of Shego's own prickly, defensive nature. She quickly and quietly left the room, then answered the incoming call.

"Hello?" Mrs. Go said, keeping her voice low and neutral for now.

" _Uh, hello. Shego?"_ Kim asked, uncertainty in her voice.

"No, this is Rose."

" _Oh… Could I, um, speak to her? It's really, really important!"_

"I'm afraid she's sleeping right now, she's had a rough day."

" _Is she okay!?"_

Kim's response was so quick and earnest that it was easy to see where her heart lay.

"She's fine, just a little tipsy and worn out from everything that's happened."

" _I totally understand. Could you ask her to call Kim Possible when she wakes up?"_

"I will, but we both know she won't, don't we?"

"… _I know."_

"Are you serious about dating her?" She could almost hear the gears churning in Kim's head at such a question, especially from a complete stranger.

" _Who is this again!?"_

"Someone on your side. Now, before you get all worked up." She opened Shego's door and took a photograph. "I've sent you a photo of our sleeping, little angel."

There was a pause in their conversation as the file went through, followed by an almost imperceptible whisper of complaint from Kim.

"… _She's gone home, to her island."_

"She told you about that?"

" _Yes."_

 _Interesting, and very promising._ "A word of advice, Ms. Possible. Never stop! She's going to fight you every step of the way, but that is what it's going to take."

Mrs. Go hung up and returned the phone to Shego's backpack. She had a lot on her mind after her talk with Kim, and all of it positive. Oh, Shego would be upset with her for talking to Kim. Clash with her every step of the way.

 _But a mother knows best!_

~o0o~

Kim frowned as the call suddenly ended, this mystery woman raising so many questions. Rose had certainly been an unexpected twist. She glanced at her kimmunicator, and smiled at the timer. It was way over what they had needed, the photograph an added bonus. She sat up with her legs under the covers and turned to the laptop on the bed next to her, Wade's face onscreen.

"Wade?" she asked, hope in her voice.

"Shego wasn't lying, Kim. The phone Drakken made for her is completely untraceable, and I have no idea how."

 _So we do this the hard way_ , she thought, crossing out 'Track Phone' from the to-do list on her lap. It wasn't a big checklist, Shego's life still very much a mystery. _But I have a name: Rose. And_ … "The photo?"

"That I can work with, given time," Wade replied, his fingers typing away furiously on his keyboard. "I'll run it through a few filters to highlight the details in the background, and I'm sure it will help us locate her."

 _Spankin!_

Kim brought up the photograph that this Rose had sent her, and smiled. It showed a moonlit bedroom with Shego fast asleep on a king size bed. Beyond her sleeping beauty, the room opened onto a balcony with palm trees, the ocean, and the night's sky in the background.

"Take as long as you need, Wade." She touched her fingers to her lips and pressed them against the image of Shego on her kimmunicator. _Some dreams are worth fighting for._

~o0o~

 _Shego dreamed: The lair was exploding. Drakken had already fled, and the buffoon had been carried away by a gigantic robot hamster. She turned her head from another explosion and wiped the blood from her mouth._

 _"What now, Princess?" she snarled. Somehow, Kim had neutralized her powers, and had then proceeded to thoroughly beat her in hand-to-hand combat._

 _"Now?" Kim said, a wicked gleam in her eye. "Now it's time for something that's long overdue."_

 _Shego yelled in defiance and leapt at Kim, only to find her wrists grabbed. Then she was flying through the air and slamming into a wall. Stunned, she tried to orientate herself, only to hear a resounding click._

 _"Better!" Kim announced._

 _Shego looked up to see her hands now firmly shackled to the walls by some of Drakken's prisoner manacles. She tried to ignite her plasma, to free herself, but nothing happened. Even her super-strength had abandoned her._

 _"What the fuck, Possible?! Don't you realize–" she was silenced by Kim lunging forwards, those pink petal lips capturing startled black. Too stunned to resist, a warm, eager tongue was suddenly inside, exploring and teasing. She could not stop the moan escaping her. A small part of her tried to fight back, but Kim's hands were curled deep in her hair, pulling her head forwards even as Kim pressed their bodies together._

 _She was panting heavily when Kim finally pulled away for breath, her face flushed a dark green._

 _"All right, Cupcake, you've had your bloody fun for all my teasing! Now, let me the hell out of this before this entire place blows!"_

 _There was only an answering silence from Kim, the mischievous grin on her face widening. Shego found herself blushing even more at the wanton look directed at her. Another explosion rocked the base, and she felt more than heard the hidden clasp of her catsuit give way._

 _She gasped as Kim dropped to her knees, pulling the catsuit with her, large lashes framing those seductive eyes as Kim looked up from between her bare legs. Kim licked her lips and moved closer, her excited breath caressing pale, trembling thighs._

" _You've been a bad girl, Shego. It's high time I showed you how bad!"_

 **~o0o~**

Yes, I've finally started the long delayed sequel to Home is where the Heart is. When I began my hiatus I had no plans for how long it would be, but it certainly wasn't meant to be this long. Let's just say I had fun with my shorter stores, and leave it at that. I've also learned my lesson in not leaving a story open, that was a newbie thing to do. I know better now.

I had fun mixing old story ideas with new in this first chapter, and I'll have an even older plot bunny in the next. I have no idea when or why I wrote that dream sequence, and I only discovered it as I was browsing my notes. I felt it fit the moment perfectly.

I am reserving the right to put this story on hold if I feel the urge to go off and write something else for a while. I spent two years on Home is where the Heart is, and it burnt me out. Now that I'm more comfortable with juggling stories, I know that branching out now and then will keep me going. Heck, at the moment I have no idea how big/small this sequel will be, so it could be moot.

Also, I just wanted to use the word 'moot' in a sentence.

~o0o~


	2. Change

**~o0o~**

It was a beautiful spring day as the lone prison transport rumbled along the Colorado highway. Inside the vehicle, a few handcuffed prisoners sat and talked amongst themselves. One, however, remained silent and alone. He stood out with his heavily scarred face and dark glasses, his missing hands replaced by prosthetic limbs ever since his tussle with Shego at Faux's tavern those many moons ago. Black, shoulder length hair framed his once attractive features, his olive skin and large build harking back to a time of Greek gods.

He tilted his head at the deep rumble of a motorbike passing, his ears filling in for his ruined eyes.

"How far till the next town?" he asked, in a deep baritone.

"Don't you worry about that, son. You just sit there and enjoy the wonderful sights of our great State while you can," a guard replied.

He listened to the resounding laughter of his fellow prisoners and the bullish guards, smoldering in his impotence. He consoled himself with knowing what was to come. Sure enough, in another few minutes he felt the transport slow and exit the highway. It was accompanied by raised voices amongst the guards, querying the driver as to why.

He almost lost his seating as the bus came to a juddering stop, the sounds of shotguns being cocked.

"George, get us back on the road or– What the hell!" a guard exclaimed.

"He's oozin' smoke or somethin'!" another guard cried out.

The whole bus shuddered as the front lifted off the ground, followed by the tortured scream of twisting metal. There were yells of shock and surprise from all onboard, but the screams of the guards were quickly and with flesh grinding finality cut off. After an eternity of destruction, the vehicle slammed back to the ground. And in the dizzying silence, two more thuds rang out nearby.

"Fuckin' cool, man! It's a jailbreak!" a prisoner yelled.

"With flying saucers and ray guns and stuff!" another felon said as he banged on the window in excitement.

"Ho-ly shit! Dat dere smoke turned into a girl!"

"Who's cute."

"And grey!"

"I'd do 'er!"

"Alphanso Malle?" a woman's voice timidly called out.

Alphanso smiled, his promised freedom finally at hand. Months of painful recuperation and adjustment, and soon he would be able to enact his revenge on the green skinned, she-bitch who had done this to him. He stood up, his sightless gaze trying to orientate on the woman.

"Him, th-that one," the woman said. "And you at the front, the cute one. What's your name?"

"…Gary."

"And grab Gary as well."

"The rest can stay and die!" a man's voice boomed out. "No witnesses!"

There were shouts and a lot of panicking from the prisoners as their death sentences were announced, followed by the shriek and groan of a reinforced door being ripped from its hinges. Alphanso calmly listened on as scuffles broke out, that quickly turned into screams of pain and fear. It sounded like a butchers shop, the slicing of metal through flesh, the dying crying out, while the dead were cut short. He touched his cheek as something wet sprayed against his face, the tang of blood rich in the air.

Solid footsteps stopped in front of him, then a hand grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Come with me," a man commanded.

Alphanso was big and burly, and in great shape despite his condition, but he found himself pulled along like a leaf in the wind. Whoever had him, they were seriously strong. He was kept upright as he stumbled into body after body, and soon he was outside in the fresh air. He turned his blind gaze to the warmth of the sun, enjoying his first taste of freedom in months.

"Wh-What the fuck are you?" Gary asked.

"They're super villains," Alphanso said with a sneer.

"They're cyborgs," the woman replied.

"What are cyborgs–?" Alphanso and Gary both said at once.

"Put them onboard and fire up the grav-atomic ray," a cyborg ordered. "Atomize everything! Leave nothing behind!"

Alphanso swore as he and Gary were manhandled onto some sort of aircraft, then firmly strapped in next to each other. It was followed by a lot of activity before the ship took off. A strange sound then filled the air, accompanied by the familiar shriek of twisting metal.

"Oh shit! Oh fuck!" Gary exclaimed. "Some of the guys are still alive and they're– they're just crushing– killing–"

Alphanso smiled to himself at the sounds of grisly carnage and screams, and of Gary throwing up. His fellow prisoners meant nothing to him. All that mattered was the deal he had made to fix his mutilated body. To make him better. Better than better - superhuman.

The screams reached a crescendo, then deathly silence.

"Mission complete!" a cyborg announced.

~o~

Alphanso Malle stewed in his own thoughts as the aircraft winged it's way across the world. He knew they were moving, the soft hum of the engines telling him so, yet it was the smoothest flight he had ever known. What sort of ship it could be, he had no idea. He had tried to start a few conversations with his rescuers, but they had remained tight lipped no matter what he asked. It pissed him off, but he wanted the power they had. Craved it. So he wasn't going to start any altercations just yet.

There was a startled cry from Gary as the ship suddenly angled sharply downwards.

Alphanso tilted his head as the acoustics changed, realizing they were now underwater. He sneered at his blubbering companion, this Gary clearly not a hardened criminal. They were headed for a villain's lair and this woman clearly had sway, so that meant power. She had handpicked Gary as 'the cute one', so he expected Gary's freedom to be short lived and pain filled.

His sightless gaze looked up as their craft shuddered, as if they had been grabbed by some outside force. Since no one panicked, it had to be expected. Then, the comforting sound of the engines cut out. Again, no one reacted. A startled gasp from Gary was superseded by a cacophony of sounds. He could hear the sharp crack of welding, people shouting and swearing, and accompanying it all was the smell of sea water and machine oil. It give him the impression of a cross between an industrial site and an airport, especially with the drone of incoming and outgoing aircraft.

With a soft thud they landed, and soon he and Gary were marched onto solid ground. Metal by the feel.

"I hate being out like this," the mystery woman muttered from nearby.

Alphanso was adept enough in his blindness to hear a wave of silence moving towards them, frowning as it stopped right in front of him.

"Ah, Sue, welcome back. How did the mission go?" a nasally man's voice asked.

Alphanso found the speaker's tone annoying, even grating, but he could hear the steel of command in the question. This was him, the villain, the one who could fix him. He recognized the voice, but could not place it. He had never played in the world of super villains, so how and why he knew it was beyond him. Right now it did not matter, and he went to step forwards.

A hand slammed down on Alphanso's shoulder from behind, holding him in place. He grimaced as steely fingers dug in, but he refused to acknowledge the pain.

"You said you would fix me!" Alphanso demanded.

"This is him?" the villain asked.

"Y-Yes," the woman replied.

"And the whimpering one?"

"A new toy. I broke my last one."

"Very well. Leave us, and take your plaything with you."

Alphanso felt more than heard everyone move away, Gary yelling and crying the whole way. Alphanso glared as best he could, the restraining hand on his shoulder holding on tight.

"I waited as I was asked to do. Now, fix me!" Alphanso said, refusing to back down.

"You think you're all that, Mr. Malle, but you're not. However, I can make you so!"

"Good. Do it."

"It's rare to get willing recruits, even with what I'm offering. Hmm… Hold still."

Alphanso's glasses were removed, firm fingers grabbing his chin and turning his face this way and that. Then his prosthetic forearms were detached, and his residual limbs examined.

"A simple enough procedure to replace what you've lost," the villain stated. "Then some Lowardian tech coupled with my own designs to turn you into an unstoppable killing machine. Yes… Yes, indeed. I'll have you wreaking havoc for my world domination plans in no time."

Alphanso grinned.

"Now, take him away!"

Alphanso was led off, his heart beating faster at the thought of being whole again.

~o0o~

Mrs. Go appeared in the villa's foyer and marched towards her daughter's suite of rooms. She pushed open the main doors, then strode down a short hallway and into Shego's darkened bedroom. She was extremely happy, because after months of motherly advice the day had finally arrived.

"Rise and shine, lazybones," Mrs. Go announced to her slumbering daughter. "It's another perfect day in paradise, and you have places to be."

"G't l'st…" Shego mumbled, clutching her pillow tighter.

Mrs. Go gave a hearty chuckle at her daughter's response, and walked past the bed.

Shego cracked open an eye and watched with annoyance as her mom flung open all the curtains and the patio doors, turned on the radio, before heading up the hallway and into a walk-in wardrobe. Mrs. Go was back in a jiffy, only to lay out a jade green dress on the end of the bed for her.

"So, how are we feeling now that the big day has finally arrived?" Mrs. Go asked.

Shego just stared back from deep within the comfort of her bed. And if a look could destroy, then she was trying her darndest to remove this sleep disturbing harpy from her room.

"Well then, let's get you ready," Mrs. Go announced, grabbing the bedsheet.

Shego held on tight, but the more she struggled the more she woke. It was a losing battle. Defeated, she sat up, grumbling the whole way. She glared at her mom as the woman left the room, then caught her reflection in the floor-length mirror. She looked the same as always, though her hair definitely needed a brush. Worried eyes stared back at her from the mirror, but they also held a fire, a stubborn determination not to back down.

She knew that she needed to keep this appointment, even though every fiber of her being screamed no. She had put this off for ages, but her mom's constant reminders and cajoling had finally worn her down.

Lost in her thoughts, she barely heard the radio announce that Kim Possible had once again saved a city from another super villain.

~o~

"There's my beautiful, little girl," Mrs. Go said as she heard movement in the lounge room behind her. She closed the oven door and turned around, her eyes going wide. "Well, well, well, that's certainly an interesting look."

Shego pursed her lips but said nothing. There would be a lot more of those comments now that she had donned her disguise for the day. A pale blonde wig hid her dark hair, while some blue contacts masked her eyes, and she had used a specialized makeup to cover up her green skin with a normal person's healthy pink tone. Over it all she wore the green dress that her mom had picked out for her. It was far too girly for her tastes, but she knew she would never hear the end of it if she chose something else. She felt exposed in the light, airy thing, its open back crisscrossed by laces, it's hem above her knees. It was a world away from the tight fitting clothes she preferred.

She touched a small silver pendant hanging on a chain about her neck, her only adornment. Painfully aware that this is how she would look if the meteor had not changed her life.

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it, as I'm ripping all this stuff off the second I get home," Shego said.

"You should know by now that I don't care what you look like."

"Not even freakish green?"

Mrs. Go stood stock still for a second then threw her tea towel to the floor. She stormed towards Shego, who took a step back at her mother's reaction. Shego almost brought her glow into play, but that was never a good thing when your mother was involved. She flinched as her mom stopped right in front of her, and took her twitching hands into her own.

"You're perfect the way you are, and you should never doubt that! Red, green, purple, or blue, it's what inside that counts. It's never this." She rubbed Shego's palms with her thumbs. "Do you understand me!?"

"Yes, mama," Shego said.

Mrs. Go brought Shego's hands together and held them with her own, her steely gaze searching Shego's face. She must have found what she was after, as she nodded her head in acceptance.

"Well, now that all that silliness is over and done with, I've got some fresh fruit and croissants laid out for you," Mrs. Go said.

"Try not to sound so happy," Shego said as she followed her mom into the dining room.

"It's a big day, and you've been putting it off for ages. Your first visit to your therapist."

"Uh-huh."

"And, Firefly."

"What?"

"I want a photo for the family album, before you go."

~o0o~

Shego sat in her invisible hovercraft and looked out at the town of Middleton far below. It wasn't her first trip away from her island home, but it was her first time back here. Two years ago, overexposure had caused her to retreat from the world, and she was not making that mistake again. All she had to do was be wherever Kim was not. At first glance Middleton appeared no different than always, but she and the world knew better. She reached out and activated the craft's telescopic viewfinder, and with the warm spring sun shining in from above, she focused on the outskirts of town.

 _GJ and those cyborgs sure fucked up your place, Kimmie._

Dozens of houses in Kim's suburb were completely reduced to their foundations, others falling apart in disrepair and neglect. She followed the small amount of activity on the ground, teams of people moving about in hazmat suits. In fact, the whole suburb was cordoned off from the public. Unknown toxins had been found, and the government was not letting anyone move back in until it was safe. Shego had grilled her contacts as to the real reason, and was surprised to find out that it had to do with alien contaminants.

She focused on Kim's deserted house, which stood unscathed at the center of the destruction.

 _That's where the two cyborgs suicided_ , she thought, seeing two massive, craters on either side of Kim's house. She leaned forwards, her index finger tracing Kim's route across the devastation. _So that'll be be where she downed the big guy_. She adjusted her view. _And that's where she got the last one._

She could picture it so easily, having read and followed every article, online story, and news report from that day. What had been most striking was the footage from a local television crew that had been caught up in the battle.

She closed her eyes and let it all come back to her, the dramatic ending captured on film.

A grinning female cyborg stood in the middle of the street, naked and with her skin transformed into some sort of metal. She was shooting apart a house, one of her arms a laser cannon the other a slim, blood-covered blade. She openly taunted the Global Justice agents inside as her gun morphed into something much, much bigger.

Kim came sprinting out of the dust and smoke like an angel of wrath, her singed hair streaming out behind her. She had burns to the side of her face and an eye swollen shut, her side blistered and oozing blood through her torn battlesuit. She disappeared, and when she next appeared she was descending from high above. Almost in the one motion she slammed a blade of glowing, blue energy into the cyborg's eye and then a sparking stun baton. There was an ear piercing, inhuman screech from the cyborg as she collapsed, Kim on top.

Shego would never admit that she had squeaked in surprise when Kim had pierced the cyborg's now fleshy abdomen with her glowing blade. For a split-second she had been sure Kim was killing the woman. Then Kim had stuck her hand inside the incision and ripped something out, and thrown it as far away as she could. The resulting explosion had been quite dramatic.

 _Kimmie's always been a badass when she's pissed._

The journalist's excited face came into camera shot, then he and the cameraman were running toward Kim. Kim stood up on wobbly legs, a hand holding her side as she looked at them with pain filled eyes. She tilted her head as she listened to something only she could hear, then her face became enraged.

Shego had seen her angry before, but never like this.

 _And that's when she knew I was in trouble_.

Kim was off like a shot, the reporter and crew in hot pursuit. The shaky video stopped at the Possible's home, the journalist banging on the front door and demanding to be let in. He spewed out some garbage about the people having a right to know. Soon enough, Mr. Possible stepped outside, and after a few heated words, and in full view of the camera, he punched the nosy reporter square in the jaw and slammed the door shut in his face.

Shego had not had much interaction with Kim's father, but that one moment made him okay in her books. She sat there and stared at nothing for a while, stewing in her own thoughts. She knew she was putting off the inevitable, and she ran her hands down her face and sighed.

 _I could just stay here and pretend I went to therapy. Mama would never know_. She rolled her eyes. _Of course she'd know! I'd know, too._ She sat back and huffed in annoyance. _I promised I'd go_.

She reached into her purse and pulled out a crumpled business card, the small piece of cardboard pulling her down like a lead weight. Flipping it over, she silently read the faded words: Dr. Jill Erikson, Psychologist. She itched to toss it away, to burn it into nothing, but instead she slipped it back in her handbag.

"This is going to be a fuckin disaster," she muttered.

She shook her head then piloted the invisible hovercraft to an unassuming, four story building only a block away from the Middleton Medical Center.

 _Kimmie may be searching the world for me, but there's no way she'd expect me to show up at her hometown on a Saturday afternoon._

~o0o~

Dr. Jill Erikson leaned back in her large, leather chair and stretched. She was a bold-looking woman of about fifty, with thick graying hair, reading glasses hanging from a chain around her neck. She wore her dark gray business suit well, the look on her face one of warmth and compassion. She did a few neck exercises as she looked out at the perfect spring day, the ridiculousness of working on the weekend once again swimming to mind.

 _Last patient for the day, then it's home time_ , she thought.

She stood and walked across her sumptuously decorated office. Everything in sight deliberately placed, from the paintings on the walls to the potted plants. She paid it all no mind, her thoughts already on her new patient. She opened the door to her waiting room and stepped outside, the comfy seat vacant.

"Barbara, has my four-o'clock called?" Dr. Erikson asked, smiling at her receptionist.

"No, she hasn't," Barbara replied, looking up from her work. "It looks like Ms. Walters might be a no show."

"Well, it's her first session, so I'm not going to give up on her just yet. I'll do some paperwork, and fingers crossed she shows."

"Okay then. I'll buzz you at half-past if she hasn't called to cancel."

Dr. Erikson nodded and closed her door, then went and sat behind her desk. Pulling out a small pile of folders from a drawer, she studiously went through them one at a time before filing them away. Time passed, her attention wholly on her work.

"Nice office," a woman's voice announced from out of nowhere.

Dr. Erikson jerked her head up, a statuesque blonde in a pretty green dress standing in the middle of the room.

"Who–?" Dr. Erikson began to say, her eyes flicking to the closed door. _Barbara didn't say anything, and I didn't hear anyone come in. How on earth!?_ She took a calming breath and stood up. "Can I help you?"

"I think I'm meant to ask you that, doc."

Dr. Erikson blinked then smiled. "Ms. Walters, I presume?"

"Quick, doc. Quicker than other doctors I know."

"Well, I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in."

Dr. Erikson walked over and held out her hand, the two of them shaking. She found Ms. Walters grip to be firm, as an icy gaze bored into her. Ms. Walters also exuded an aura of tightly controlled anger, coupled with a hint of danger. No, it was more than hint, it was palpable, but none of it directed at her. She could work with that. It was one of the paradoxical processes in her profession. That the strong were sometimes the easiest to help, once they were set on the right course.

"Nice to meet you," Dr. Erikson said.

"Nice to meet you too, doc," Ms. Walters replied, her friendly tone belying everything about her.

"Jill, if you like?"

"Well, Dr. J, you can call me Jennifer, for now."

"Are you still up for a full session? I know it's a little late, but I'd still like to do it as it's your first time."

"Yeah, I'm in no rush."

"Well, I'll just let my receptionist know that I'm going to stay, then we can talk about whatever's on your mind." She gestured at her office. "Sit wherever you like, and I'll be back in a jiffy." She headed for the door, watching as Ms. Walters pulled out her phone and began walking around the room with the device held out in front of her.

 _Interesting_ , Dr. Erikson thought as she opened the door and popped her head outside. "Barbara, you may as well head home for the day. I'll lock up once I've finished with Jennifer."

"With who?" Barbara replied.

"Ms. Walters."

"Did she call you on your private line?"

"No, she's in my office."

"Um, she can't be."

"Wrong!" Ms. Walters called out from the other room.

Dr. Erikson saw the shock on Barbara's face, and stepped back as Barbara rushed over to the door. They both looked at Ms. Walters, Barbara fidgeting nervously.

"I've been here the whole time, and no one's gone into your office," Barbara whispered.

What went unspoken between the two of them was that they were on the third floor and that there was only one way in or out of Dr. Erikson's office. It was impossible, but the evidence was right there in front of them.

"Do you want me to… call someone?" Barbara whispered.

"No, it's okay. You can head off, and I'll see you on Tuesday."

Barbara nodded, glanced back inside, then shuffled over to her desk. Dr. Erikson closed the door and turned to look at her new patient. And this time she really looked at her. Ms. Walters had a slender, curvaceous body, with an athletic build, and her sharp facial features were framed by long, thick blonde hair, along with piercing blue eyes. She appeared to be someone that could look after herself, but there was something more. It was intangible, but it was there.

 _This one's going to be… interesting_. She sighed, softly. _I left New York to get away from the interesting ones, but… I do miss them, occasionally._ "That was a nice trick, getting in here without Barbara seeing you."

"No trick, just skill," Ms. Walters replied, nonchalantly.

"And the phone?" she asked, as Ms. Walters finally put the device away and sat down next to a window.

"I was checking for any hidden surveillance."

"You were worried that I might be recording my sessions?"

"Doc– Jill, if there's one thing I've learnt, it's never trust anyone at face value. Though, I assumed you wouldn't be spying," she glanced outside, "but others might be. And before you go all Freud on me, it's kept me alive more times than I can remember."

 _Oh?_

Dr. Erikson grabbed a pad and pen from her desk and sat down opposite Ms. Walters. There was a lot to talk about, and most importantly whether Ms. Walters was delusional, mistaken, or telling the truth. It was one of the hardest, most interesting parts to psychoanalyze, but she enjoyed the challenge.

"With so much going on in your life, I'm surprised you came to me. I'm–"

"A fish out of water, Jill, like me. We've both given up what we were good at." She paused in thought for a second. "I've done it twice, in fact." She leaned forwards, eyes intense. "You're Dr. Jill Erikson, world renowned psychologist. And after the Lowardian invasion, life, loss, and a commitment to your only surviving granddaughter caused you to semi-retire here to this idyllic little town of Middleton."

Dr. Erikson showed no outward sign of surprise, as this was a power play, pure and simple. She had seen it many, many times before.

"I don't advertise," Dr. Erikson said, calmly.

"I know, and that's why I came to you."

"Because people are after you?"

Ms. Walters turned to stare out the window, chewing on her lip.

Dr. Erikson said nothing, not even after ten minutes of silence between the two of them. Talking would come … in time. Opening up your deepest darkest secrets to a stranger was never easy, even when you are there for their help. She was fine if they spent the next hour without saying a word to each other. Her silent, patient understanding was far more important in building trust between them than anything she could say.

"I– Yeah, no! Fuck this shit!" Ms. Walters exclaimed, turning back to face her. "Listen, I was born over eighty years ago. I was dying from leukemia until me and my brothers were hit by a meteor. I killed the first girl I had a crush on. I've been brainwashed, tortured, and betrayed by the government, and almost lost my freedom because of my idiotic brother. I've watched as the woman I loved was brutally murdered in front of me, and… the next woman I cared about was shot saving me, dying in my arms. All because I can do THIS!"

She held up a hand, that burst into green fire.

Dr. Erikson yelped in shock and surprise, and fell backwards and out of her chair.

~o0o~

 _So hot_ , Faux thought, as she did a full circle in front of the mirror so she could check herself out from every angle. She smiled at the vast amount of skin on display, along with the generous showing of cleavage.

 _They won't know what him 'em!_

It was the first Saturday night of the month at 'A Possible Tavern', and that meant KiGo Night. She had dressed the part, her freshly dried hair now a fiery red, and her eyes tinted an olive green. She had chosen to go old school in her wardrobe for the festivities, her skimpy cheerleader outfit perfectly styled on Kim's from the hero's sophomore year. It was a dark purple with bright orange and gold trim, and it hugged her in all the right ways. It also left very little to the imagination, especially when she bent over.

She picked up some golden pompoms and struck a pose.

 _Hellz yeah! I'mma gettin some tonight!_

She was well-rested thanks to an afternoon nap, and had given herself the night off. One of the perks of being the boss. She nodded and headed for the door, her critical eye doing a once over of her large studio apartment before she left. The lounge and kitchen were spotless, the open shower and bathtub ready for some intimate moments if required. She winked at her massive, wooden, four poster bed, and all the women it had entertained. Covered in twisted ivy, diaphanous silk drapes and fairy lights, it had helped seduce so many girls.

 _Oh yes! Toys!_

She ran into her walk-in wardrobe and came out with a variety of sex toys. A dexterous foot opened the bottom drawer of her bedside table, and she carefully deposited all her happy fun time equipment.

"There we go, girls," she said, closing the drawer and patting it.

She turned on the fairy lights, and a red and a green lava lamp, put on some soft music, then closed and locked the door.

 _Saturday night at Club KiGo_ , Faux thought as she listened to the noisy patrons and thumping music from below. She looked up at the night's sky, just in time to see a shooting star. _Quick, make a wish_. It was an easy one, no thinking required. _It's my grand re-reopening, so I wish for Kim and Shego to show._ Kim had promised, but there was always the chance of a mission interfering. Shego was the real wildcard. Still, she now had a good feeling that both would make an appearance.

She headed down the backstairs as she drifted off in thought.

 _We can talk, drink and dance… then all come upstairs._ She bit her lip. _On my bed, sweating and writhing against each other, me in the middle!_

She shivered in delight.

 _Shego above, straddling me, letting me taste–_

 _Mmm!_

 _Kim between my thighs, as her tongue makes me–_

 _Ohh!_

 _And then they can both–_

 _YESSS!_

She was brought out of her sexy daydream by a soft whirring from above, and watched as one of those fantastical flying car, hovercraft thingies zipped down to a secluded section of the car park, floating in midair.

"Kim!" Faux called out as a certain redhead popped into view.

Kim looked around and smiled and waved, then she and her ride promptly turned Invisible. When she next appeared she was dropping to the ground, a large painting shaped present in her hands. She landed with barely a sound, outfitted in her purple mission shirt, black trousers, and sturdy combat boots; her wardrobe now accompanied by a plain silver bracelet around her wrist. She had been wearing it for a few months now, yet all her fans were still excitedly talking about it.

Faux was there and waiting for her, a huge grin on her face.

"Happy re-reopening," Kim said, holding out her gift.

Faux stepped forwards and wrapped her in a big welcoming hug, twirling the both of them around in her enthusiasm. Kim returned the greeting, while Faux huffed as her hands were diverted away from Kim's backside. Faux spun them to a stop and placed Kim back down, but she refused to be denied. Tonight was special, and she had wishful, lustful plans. She pulled Kim close, receiving the cutest little squeak of surprise. Faux reveled at how amazing Kim felt, and as she looked into wide eyes, she pressed her lips to Kim's in the gentlest of kisses.

"H-Hey you," Kim said, her cheeks blushing red as she dropped her gaze.

"Hey, yourself," Faux replied.

She stood there with Kim in her arms as the girl looked anywhere but at her, and it took her no time at all to work out that it was her revealing outfit as much as the kiss that had Kim off balance. She gently tightened her grip, watching Kim's cheeks turn even redder as she held her close.

 _God dammit, she's so fuckin' cute! I could just eat her up_.

She eventually relented and stepped back, and relieved Kim of her present. From the size and the feel of it under the wrapping paper, her gift could only be one thing. She opened her mouth to comment, then saw the look on Kim's face.

"I'm so, so sorry, I can't stay," Kim said, looking miserable. "I'm needed in Africa to help with some poachers."

Faux let out a big, sad sigh. There was no reason to get upset, as this had been Kim's life since Christmas. Even before then, because of the fallout from the Perses Virus. She nodded in understanding, but made sure she pouted. She glanced at the gift in her hands then over at the noisy tavern, then up to her apartment as an idea came to mind. It would be a grand way to thank Kim for the present, and a suitably, sexy recompense for Kim having to leave.

 _Because, if the mountain won't come to Muhammad_ …

"Don't be sad," Kim said, reaching out and taking Faux's hands in her own. "I know I've been busy, and haven't been around much." She sighed. "Not at all, right? But I'll make it up to you and the gang, honest!"

"It's okay, Kim. I totally understand that the world needs you these days." She adopted the most innocent expression she could muster. "But if you have the time, we could pop up to my apartment and open your present together?"

From the intense look Kim gave her, she felt she had overplayed it.

Kim tilted her head in thought as she glanced up at her invisible hovercraft, then touched her lips as she looked back at Faux and her sexy attire. Kim's expression softened as she tucked a few stray hairs behind an ear, and she gave a quick nod of agreement.

"And you'll be good?" Kim asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

"Ohh yes, I'll be good!" Faux replied, winking suggestively.

"Oh you," Kim said, playfully punching her on the shoulder.

They both laughed as they headed up the stairs, Kim politely holding the gift as Faux unlocked and opened her door.

"Woah, Faux, it's beautiful in here!" Kim exclaimed as soon as she stepped inside.

"Why, thank you, I do aim to please."

Kim stood there with wide eyes as she stared around the apartment, her first time up here since the Monkey Fist debacle. Lava lamps filled the large, open space in a warm, welcoming glow, while the fairy lights drew the eye towards the massive, ivy covered bed. Soft music complete the ensemble, as Kim took a few subconscious steps towards the bed.

"Lights?" she asked.

"Nah, this is much better," Faux replied as she closed and leaned against the door.

"Oh?"

"It makes everything look perfect!" And she pointedly stared at Kim.

A Machiavellian smile crossed her lips as she tossed her pompoms aside. She had always had a bit of a runway strut to her walk, but now she employed it to full effect as she pushed off the door and sauntered towards Kim. Each sensual step brought her closer and closer, and she reveled in the way Kim fixated on her swaying hips.

Kim swallowed and took a skittish step backwards, then stood her ground.

 _Ohhh, Kim, you've had me fooled for too long… Playing all bashful and aloof. I get that… But, oh no… I know that look in your eyes. You're so into girls!_ She smiled as she linked their arms together, holding Kim close.

"This way," she said, as she led Kim across the living room.

"Um…" Kim said as they passed the couch.

"The bed's bigger, and far comfier…"

"Ah… y-yeah, sure," Kim replied, as she anxiously glanced at their destination.

Faux smiled to herself, the blush on Kim's cheeks warming her heart. She stopped beside the bed and plucked the present from Kim's unresisting hands, then laid it out on the comforter. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, she looked up at Kim and patted the space beside her.

Kim gulped, smiled, then sat down at the corner, her back against a sturdy post. She pointedly stared at the present, even as her hands nervously fidgeted on her lap.

 _Still playing the innocent card? Well, alright then!_ Faux thought.

She scooted closer, loving how Kim's cheeks darkened at her approach. They were so close now that she could feel the heat from Kim's body. And her gaze focused on Kim's throat, that erogenous pulse point calling to her. She bit her lip, tingling deep inside. Unused to self-control. She somehow held herself back, even though every fiber of her being told her to jump the girl.

"Comfy?" she asked as she leaned forwards to reveal a nice amount of cleavage.

"Y-Yes!"

"Then, let's do it," she said huskily, her fingertips lightly grazing Kim's knee.

"I-It!? I– Wh-What–?" Kim squeaked.

Faux silently cheered at Kim's expression, the girl wordlessly opening and closing her mouth.

"Opening my present, silly." _But we both know what you were thinking!_ She winked then turned to her gift, and with a flurry of activity she ripped off the wrapping paper. Revealed was a stylish wooden frame, and sitting beneath a thin sheet of glass was a pair of giant rubber and mesh flippers, tipped with razor sharp, steel claws.

"It's another trophy for you to mount on the wall of your bar," Kim said, finding her voice at last. "They're from Major Bloat, that amphibian styled villain I fought in the Amazon last month.

"Yeah… I read all about him on your blog. He sounded really disgusting."

"He was," Kim replied, shivering in disgust.

"Well, it's a perfect addition for downstairs," Faux gushed, and she turned and gave Kim a quick hug.

"I'm glad you like."

"Wade's done the usual, I assume?"

"Yep. He's removed all the tech, so now they're just a big pair of clunky, funky flippers."

Faux leaned in for a closer look at the wickedly sharp claws, and shivered. She had followed Kim's career from almost the beginning, and knew that Kim's slim, dainty, teenage girl persona gave her an advantage over the villains, terrorists, and evildoers of the world. But It was times like this that she truly came to realize how dangerous Kim's life was. One mistake with a miscreant like this and Kim would be seriously injured, even killed.

 _She's saved so many lives, and she's still single. It's not fair!_ "It's so not fair," Faux said out aloud, continuing on before Kim could ask. "That you do so much for everyone, and that you're alone."

"It's no big, really," Kim said, waving her off. "It's totally fine."

"No, it's not!"

"Really, it is. I have my… I'm using…"

"Mmhm?"

Kim dropped her head, cheeks red.

"A vibrator?" Faux said, filling in the blanks.

Kim simply nodded in embarrassment.

 _A vibrator? That's it? Dear God, not even some one night stands? It's a fuckin crime, that's what it is!_ She huffed with annoyance and found her calm. "Kim, toys are great, don't get me wrong," she glanced at her bedside table, "but they'll never replace the sweaty, intense feelings of a warm body next to yours." She gently stroked Kim's thigh as she leveled a gaze at her. "Or what it's like to find release from a lover… as _she_ makes you cum."

"I– uh, should to get going," Kim mumbled as she shot to her feet, stepping away from Faux as if she had been burned.

 _Shego's so right about her. So innocent. So gosh darn cute! And so in need of some proper relief!_ She flowed to her feet, watching Kim's flustered gaze follow her as she circled her. "You don't have to be nervous," she said, stopping between Kim and the door.

"No, I'm– It's just– Africa–"

"I know you like girls," Faux said, softly.

Kim's expression was priceless as she stared back, neither leaving or saying anything.

"And you owe me a kiss!" She moved closer and took Kim's limp hands, and brought them up to her lips. "So I want to give you a special thank you for my present, and for everything else you do!"

"It's, uh– No need to– I mean, it's–" Kim babbled as she clumsily stepped backwards and bumped into the bedpost. She glanced behind as she steadied herself, but when she looked back up Faux was right there in front of her.

"You fantasize about me, don't you?"

"No, I–" Kim started to say, stopping as a finger was placed over her lips.

"Uh-uh-ah, don't even try to deny it!" She removed her silencing digit and held Kim's waist. "I've seen that look in your eyes."

"I– I–" Kim managed to stammer out. "I was just–" She stopped, swallowing as she tried to gather her thoughts. "I didn't–" Her eyes met Faux's as her as belt was undone and thrown away, lost in that wanton gaze. "I wasn't–"

"And here we are, all alone," Faux seductively purred as she shuffled Kim onto the edge of the bed, straddling her lap. "You can have me, Kim. Do anything you want to me. And it can be our dirty… little… secret!"

She pinned Kim with her lustful stare as she pulled Kim's shirt free of her trousers, enjoying every fumbling utterance the girl was trying to say. She breathed in her wonderful aroma as she waited for a 'no' or a 'stop', but it did not come. Not even as she slipped a hand under Kim's shirt to caress her slim waist.

"Really, Fa-Faux! We– I… shouldn't–" Kim said, her chest heaving

"Whatever… you… desire!"

She pressed herself against Kim, their excited breath's mingling under the soulful, strains of the music. Kim's glazed expression made her smile, everything about her so enticing. And as she curled her fingers in luxurious red hair, her eyelids closing in victory, her lips for parted for a kiss.

The low-pitched moan from Kim was one of longing and need, and it was heaven to Faux's ears.

 **~o0o~**

Do they or don't they? Oh what a fun spot to end the chapter.

Timelines, that's my major problems at the moment. This chapter was meant to be Kim centric, but so much other stuff had to be introduced first.

Next: Shego belatedly arrives at the tavern, and I can get back to Kim and what she has been up to these last few months.


	3. With Friends Like These

**~o0o~**

Shego flew her invisible hovercraft over Faux's tavern then down until she was hovering just above the roof. She flicked a few switches to leave the craft where it was, grabbed a nicely wrapped present and two bottles of alcohol, then jumped out and onto the rooftop. Hidden by the darkness, she surveyed the area below, noting the full to bursting carpark and the bustling activity within.

"Kim, it's okay!" Faux cried out, her disembodied voice echoing from an open window.

 _Um… what!?_ Shego thought, looking down from her vantage point as the door to Faux's apartment flew open. _Kimmie's meant to be in Africa, not here. I made sure of it!_

"It was just a kiss!" Faux called out.

 _WHAT?_ Shego thought.

She dropped to a crouch and stared wordlessly as Kim ran into view and leaped over the first floor railing. Kim landed with a roll then sprinted across the carpark as a hovercraft popped into view, and in a few strides she jumped up and onboard and then flew away without looking back.

 _What da fuq!?_

She was shocked at the state of Kim, the girl's face flushed a bright red and her clothes disheveled. She did not need to be a detective to work out what had been going on.

"Damn! I screwed up!" Faux said, her worried voice floating up to Shego.

Shego glanced over the edge, seeing Faux's frown, makeup, and sexy outfit. She chewed on her lip at all the unexpected emotions swirling within, jealousy rising to the top. It bubbled and fizzed behind her eyes, and she barely noticed the breeze ruffling her dress.

"I'm so missing something!" Faux muttered.

Shego moved back out of sight, listening as Faux closed her door and headed downstairs, talking to herself the whole way.

 _Dammit! I have no right to feel this way!_ Shego thought, unaccustomed to the possessive emotions churning away within. Her heart, her soul, had been ripped asunder on Rachel's death, and it had become who she was. Dead inside. Then Kim had come along, and against all expectations woken something up.

 _I let her go!_ She shook her head. _No, I said it was for the best, then ran away!_ She dragged her hands down her face. _You were meant to find a guy, Kimmie. Not chase me around the world!_

She mentally kicked herself, which achieved nothing.

 _Why me, Princess?_

Minutes passed and she had still not moved. Refusing to leave her perch until she had calmed herself down. She had honestly expected Kim to move on from their one night together. That it had all been a byproduct of DNAmy's machine. However, that had proven to be wishful thinking on her part. Kim had immediately started popping up wherever she was doing business, hunting her. It was frustrating and annoying, yet also endearing. Rachel had pursued her, and now so was Kim. And while she refused to acknowledge it, Kim's unwavering devotion was fanning the embers of her long, dead heart.

She breathed in deeply and let it out, then stood up.

 _Ohh, Kimmie, that's what ya get for entering the lion's den_.

She chuckled softly to herself, the nugget of jealousy finally set free. It was Faux, and she knew her. Holding her in almost as high regard as Kim. Faux had lied to the police for her, stood up to Global Justice for her, and willingly kept her secrets. If anyone had a right to be frisky with Kim, it was Faux.

 _Besides, she's just in it for the fun. Nothing serious._

She sighed in fond remembrance at Kim's sexy curves and the way she had moved. Then there was Faux, and while a little older, she was strikingly similar to Kim. Couple that with the racy, figure hugging outfit she was wearing, and it all combined to raise Shego's blood pressure.

 _Heh, I've actually fought Kimmie while she was wearing her cheerleader uniform. It was our first time…_

It was over five years ago now, yet she remembered it like it was only yesterday. How an unknown teenager had dared to challenge her. While the fight ended up being more of a chase than a battle, she had secretly loved it. Henchmen, guards, and goons never lasted long against her, yet Kim had.

 _She was already so talented._

Lost in her memories, they morphed into an erotic fantasy of Kim and Faux together in the apartment below. Kim, so cute, innocent, and blushing. Faux, a sexy hunter, pursuing her around the room. Pinning her to the couch.

 _They'd be like twins, making out. While I watch!_

She bit her lip.

 _Not that I've ever had a threesome_ … She tilted her head. _Maybe I could suggest to Kimmie that we– Gah! Mind outta the gutter! I've got things to do._

She rose to her feet, and with a few deft moves slipped into Faux's empty apartment through an open window.

~o0o~

Shego stood in front of the tavern's main entrance, a hand on her hip and her head cocked to the side as she surveyed the big changes.

 _Some money and a little time away, and this is what I come back to._

A fresh, new, neon sign illuminated the area and roadway beyond, proclaiming: A Possible Tavern. A large banner underneath announced its grand re-reopening. The roadhouse had almost doubled in size since Shego had last seen it, yet it still maintained its laid back frontier appearance; its structure all wood and natural materials. It now sported two outdoor eating areas, both well-lit and filled with noisy patrons. A wide, covered veranda travelled the length of the building, festooned in cheery lights. Every section was crowded, and for a Saturday night along this stretch of the interstate that was quite remarkable.

 _Faux is quite the savvy business woman._

She rolled her shoulders and walked up the wide, wooden stairs and onto the veranda, the warm light through the double doors beckoning her in. A large notice board by the entrance announced upcoming attractions and of course tonight's KiGo festivities. She did not need to read it, she knew exactly what night it was. She glanced left and right, making sure that no one paying her any attention, then reached for the handle.

"Gangway! Comin' through!" a voice yelled from inside, followed by the doors slamming open.

 _What the–!_ Shego silently exclaimed as an incredibly cute girl, dressed and done up as her, tromped out and down the stairs while dragging two other girls, also done up as her, by their hair.

"As I told y'all, take ya disagreements ta outside!" the girl growled, her southern accent quite distinct. She effortlessly tossed her two larger captives to the ground and dusted off her hands.

 _Mmm!_ Shego hummed, admiring the view.

The unknown girl's outfit consisted of a shiny latex top with long sleeves in a harlequin styled, green and black motif. It barely covered her well-endowed chest, leaving her tight abs and waist fully exposed. A pair of skimpy, matching hot pants sat low on her hips, while a pair of knee high boots completed the outfit. She was like a sexy domme as she stood over the two women.

Shego found herself staring, especially at the girl's bare midriff.

"Now, cool it, before I do somethin' you'll regret!" the girl said, hands on her hips.

One of the women got to her feet and swung a wild haymaker at the girl, who effortlessly blocked and pushed the woman back to the pavement.

 _No Carl tonight?_ Shego thought. _Leave it to Faux to hire herself a sexy bouncer._ She rolled her eyes. _Why am I not surprised?_

She gave one last wistful look at the girl's sexy abs and walked inside, feeling no urge to intervene in the looming brawl. It was mainly apathy, but also trust in who Faux hired. She knew that size did not matter when it came to fights. That was a man's mentality, thinking that muscles won the day. She had a foot and an inhumanly strong kick, and had explained it very swiftly and painfully to all the steroid crunching men who thought they knew better.

 _And then there's Kimmie._

She stepped to the side as the doors closed behind her, and swept her gaze across the brightly lit interior. She took in the new decor, design, and layout, while also subconsciously memorizing windows, doors, exits, and patrons. Some habits too ingrained to break. As much as the tavern had changed, it was also pretty much how she remembered it. A large bar dominated the back, and scattered around the room were rustic tables and chairs. Dining booths hugged the walls and here and there were large flat screen televisions showing off various sporting events. Interspaced throughout were now memorabilia from Kim's many heroic exploits, plus pictures and news clippings from Kim's life.

Shego nodded in approval, her foot tapping in time to the music from an old fashioned jukebox over behind some pool tables.

 _Exits where they should be. Bar in the back. And steak, thataway!_

She smiled and weaved her way through the crowd, off to get a drink.

~o~

 _Move! Outta tha way!_ Shego thought, fuming as she came to a stop before reaching the bar.

At any other time she would have forced her way through the crowd, flames and all. But not tonight. She planned to spend her evening in peace, and any scene would only raise the chances that she was recognized. Crossing her arms, she patiently waited while ignoring all the appreciative glances thrown her way. In her very un-Shego like dress and her hair in a ponytail, she was pretty much incognito. Just another pretty face in a sea of KiGo worshippers.

 _Don't you dare–!_ she thought as a woman pushed in front of her, accidentally standing on her foot. She found herself counting to ten, trying oh-so-hard not to lose her temper and smack the woman.

Being good had never been so hard.

 _Finally!_ she thought, reaching the bar.

She leaned against the counter with her patience all but gone, and spotting Rob, she arched forwards and grabbed him by the arm.

"What–!?" Rob started to say, stopping when he saw who it was.

"It's Megan!" Shego said, her frown emphasizing the fake name.

"Hi… Megan," he said, nodding in understanding. "Long time no see."

"Yeah, it has been. Scotch, a bottle of the good stuff."

"Let me just handle this," he held up four bottles of beer, "and then it's all yours."

"You've got thirty seconds!" she threatened, though it was said with a smile. She looked around while waiting, spotting a few familiar faces amongst the crowd, specifically Clara, Myka, and Claudia all working hard.

"Does _she_ know you're here?" Rob asked as he placed a bottle of scotch and two empty glasses in front of her.

"Not yet." _But I'm sure it won't take her long. She has an uncanny sense about these things_.

Rob sighed as multiple customers clamored for his attention, and with an apologetic smile moved away.

She grabbed the bottle and the drinking glasses, and as luck would have it managed to snag a corner booth to sit in. A raised hand and dinner was ordered, so she sat back and let festive atmosphere envelop her. There was the clinking of glasses, upbeat music, and pool cues hitting balls, and over it all was were happy conversations of people relaxing and enjoying themselves,

 _I haven't socialized in ages. Not since Kimmie…_

She half-closed her eyes and tried to relax, as even here she was not fully trusting. There were only a few places in the world where she could totally let her guard down, her island hideaway being at the top of the list. Kim's parents' home came in second, but that was only because of Kim and not the house itself.

She sighed as the raucous crowd got even louder, the irony of the moment not lost on her.

 _Here I am, alone in a tavern full of women celebrating Kimmie's and my life_. She huffed. _Screw this, party time!_

She poured a smidgen of scotch into her glass, then opened one of the two unlabeled bottles she had brought with her. The liquid that sloshed out was clear and odorless, belying its powerful nature. She clinked the open bottle in celebration, and sculled.

 _Hoo-boy!_ she thought as the potent mix of fine scotch and Mr. Possible's home brew burned it's way down her throat to warm her stomach. The homemade spirits was pretty close to rocket fuel. And considering who made it, there was a good chance it might be.

 _This stuff is disgusting. I love it! Best - idea - ever!_

"More," she muttered, slamming the glass back down on the table. She downed a second drink, and then a third in quick succession; pouring herself a fourth. _So I like Kimmie, and can't be with her_ , she thought, sipping her drink. _I'm sure I'll get over it, one day_. She took another sip. _Redhead's_ , she thought, sculling her drink, c _an't live with 'em, can't forget about 'em!_

The next drink she just nursed, eyes mostly closed. Because of her comet-powered constitution it normally took her multiple bottles of alcohol to get her this buzzed, not a few glasses worth. It was proving devastatingly effective, and she enjoyed every moment of it.

"Happy KiGo night," she murmured to herself.

She opened her eyes when the lights dimmed and noticed that the tavern's clientele had become entirely Kim and Shego supporters. Grabbing the scotch for another refill, the heavenly smell of food wafted past her nose, more precisely steak, followed by a vaguely familiar waitress placing a large plate on the table in front of her.

"Thanks," Shego muttered, blinking to focus her inebriated gaze.

"You're welcome," the waitress replied, giving her a friendly smile.

Shego was in heaven with her first bite, and she tucked in with gusto. She had almost finished her meal when a sixth sense made her look up, and there was Faux with her back to her. The woman's outfit was even sexier up close, and Shego openly admired her curves and the tone of her legs. Her intense gaze must have been felt as Faux turned on the spot, their eyes meeting.

The happy, wonderful, welcoming smile from Faux warmed her heart. It was not as good as Kim's, but it was a close second.

She raised a finger to her lips before Faux could say or do anything, the gesture getting her point across. Faux was at her booth in seconds, the woman's tight top doing wonders for her imagination. She blinked at the familiar, heady scent; it was Kim's bodywash and shampoo, and it made her heart beat faster.

"Beauty, you came!" Faux said breathlessly, her skin covered in a light sheen of perspiration from dancing.

"Not yet, but the night is young," Shego replied. Then her not-so-innocent words struck home. _Yeesh! Rachel was right, I am a flirty drunk_.

"Ohh… do tell?" Faux mischievously inquired as she sat down. So close.

 _Uh-oh!_

Shego tried to ignore the amount of skin on display and the glorious display of cleavage. It was impossible. She saw a hunger in those vibrant eyes, and understood how Kim had succumbed. A hand rested on her thigh as Faux moved in, and she knew that wearing the dress was a mistake. Too much was exposed, too much available. Boundaries needed to be set, fast. Or tables turned. And for her, the best defense was a good offense.

It was a spur of the moment decision, the alcohol, loneliness, seeing Kim, and the familiar scent all driving her on.

She cupped Faux's cheek, enjoying the woman's breathy exclamation of surprise. The intimate, physical touch sent a shock along her arm, her attention drawn to those lips. And as she leaned in close, her eyes fluttering shut, she curled her hands in red hair and kissed Faux. Kissed the life out of her. Lips so unbelievably soft and wanting opened for her, a long forgotten heat suffusing her belly, and lower. She relished feelings, while somewhere in the background there was a long, deep moan from Faux. Swirling her tongue around, she pulled away just as Faux got involved.

 _Geez! Not just a flirty drunk, a slutty one too!_

She sat back, a lovely shade of green dotting her cheeks. She could hardly deny how good it had felt, and knew it would be hard to forget with the alcohol coursing through her veins.

 _Damn, she feels good. No! Down, girl! No sex!_ Her imagination and thoughts, however, had other ideas. _It'd be fun. A quick tumble. You know you want too!_

 _Shut up!_

Luckily, Faux was not Kim, or they would be heading upstairs right now. Opening her eyes, she found Faux frozen in place, a look of bliss on her face.

"Th-That– That was–" Faux struggled to say.

"A little something extra for your special night, so don't get any ideas!" She turned back to her meal as if nothing had happened and stabbed the last piece of steak on her plate. _Guess… I didn't want Kimmie outdoing me in the fun department?_

There was a long, happy sigh from Faux as she shivered, then she opened her eyes.

"Too late, Beauty. I've got so many wonderful ideas," Faux said, looking hopeful.

"Well, keep 'em in your pants, as that's all you're gettin," Shego replied.

"But… you can't–"

Shego raised a finger to signify no more.

"You're so evil."

"Mmhm."

Shego took a sip from her drink, seeing the dejected look on Faux's face. It broke her heart, which was another new feeling. She tried to stay strong, but all she could see were Faux's hands itching to hold her.

 _Fine! Okay. Kimmie's ruined me!_ She shuffled next to Faux and put an arm around her. "I didn't say no touching, just no…"

"Tying you face down on my bed with a vibrator against your clit while I pound you from behind?"

 _Um_ … Shego thought, the mental image just too strong to deny. However, in her fantasy it was Kim pawing at the sheets beneath her as she had her way with her. _Fuck!_ She shook her head to clear things away, even as Faux took her hand.

"Yes, that," Shego said. "Friends tonight, no benefits."

"Well, Sh–" Faux said, stopping as a hand was placed over her mouth.

"My name's Megan while I'm here. Megan Morse, got it?"

"Uh-huh. Gosh, you're legs go on forever in that dress!"

"Did you hear a single word I said?"

"Sure. Playing hard to get, silly name, sexy outfit!"

 _Argh!_ Shego thought, throwing her hands in the air. "I'm never going to win, am I?"

"You're here for my grand reopening while entertaining my KiGo fantasies, so no. I've got a one track mind, and you're so at the end of it."

"You know, if anyone else tried this shit on me I'd burn their ass!"

"But for me, you just wanna ride it?"

Shego smacked her forehead on the table in exasperation.

"Hey, it's okay," Faux said, rubbing her arm. "I'm just playing with you. I'd never do anything to hurt you or give you away." She smirked. "You're just so much fun to tease."

"Yeah, so I've heard," Shego replied, sitting up. The overwhelming lust in Faux's eyes was gone, and left behind was the friendship they felt for each other. It warmed her all over, as much as the alcohol. She glanced at her full glass of scotch, knowing it could cause issues by the end of the night. One misstep and she would be waking up next to Faux. Not that she was going to stop drinking, it was just something to be wary of.

"Where've you been!?" Faux blurted out. "You were everywhere for about a week, and then gone! Nothing, for what? Six months now?"

"I'm around," Shego replied. _Focus! This is me and Kimmie, so don't let the alcohol do the talking_.

"Kim's looking for you."

"I know."

"And, you're avoiding her?"

"For the moment." _Shit!_

"Why? What happened!?"

 _Damn! Damn! Damn!_ "None of your business!"

"C'mon, even Kim won't tell me what's going on."

 _Good girl, Kimmie_. _The less people who know you like me, the safer you are_. "Here, this is for your grand re-reopening," she said, handing over her colorfully wrapped present.

It had the desired outcome of distraction.

"Ooh! You bought me a gift?" Faux said as she admired the green and white paper, a fancy black bow on top. She gently shook the box, then inquisitively explored it with her fingers before resting it on the table. She then adopted the most innocent expression, and said, "You know, we could pop upstairs to open it? Where it's not so noisy."

Shego looked at her, then mentally sighed at Faux's insatiable desire to bed her.

"Don't tell me, that's the line you used on Kimmie?"

"Good girls don't kiss and tell," Faux replied, her grin giving everything away.

"Uh-huh…" Shego deadpanned.

"Hey, how'd you know about me and Kim?"

"Good girls don't kiss and tell."

"If you know, then that means you were there… Listening… Watching… Ooh…!"

 _Annd, I've lost her_ , Shego thought, rolling her eyes as Faux drifted off into her own little dream world. She took the time to refill her glass, the annoyance of sobriety rearing its ugly head. Three drinks later and Faux stirred, grinning at her.

"You little voyeur, you!" Faux said.

"I prefer mashter ninja," Shego replied, a slight slur to her words.

"Oh my god, are you drunk?"

"Yep! And workin' on gettin' completely wasted for the first time ever."

"I didn't think you could? Not with your glow– Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. Just wanted to celebrate your re-reopening in style."

"Well, okay then. And speaking of reopening, don't suppose you know who mysteriously donated all that cash into my bank account so I could refurbish?"

"Moi?" Shego replied, a hand on her chest in mock innocence. "No idea."

Faux laughed then looked intently at the full glass in Shego's hand, then at the scotch and the two unlabeled bottles. A thoughtful frown, then she liberated the drink from Shego and downed it. To say the effect was everything that Shego would have expected was an understatement. Faux's eyes went wide as her jaw dropped open, her lips working soundlessly for a few seconds. She coughed violently, traces of the potent liquid exploding from her mouth and nose. A wheezing rattle was followed by more as her face turned red, Shego vigorously patting her back.

"Jesus H. Christ, what is that stuff?" Faux finally got out in a strangled rasp.

"No idea," Shego replied. "Kimmie's dad makes it in his basement, and I liberated a crate or two as I passed by Middleton." She grabbed a few napkins and passed them to Faux. "It's unbelievably strong, and I would've warned you if you'd asked."

"Anything that slips between those fine lips, I have to try." She wiped off her face and the table, and looked at Shego with wide eyes. "How can you stand to drink it?"

"Super powered constitution, remember?"

"Can't remember… feeling tipsy!"

 _Wow! One glass? Good thing Kimmie never tried it, or… maybe not_ … She grinned at the thought of Kim being drunk, then slid the rescued present onto Faux's lap. "Here, open. I didn't come all this way just to watch you get drunk."

"Yes, present," Faux said, focusing on the gift. She attacked the paper with a vengeance and soon revealed a nicely styled green box. The lid lasted mere seconds and then she was holding up a black turtleneck; left inside the box were some dark gloves, cargo pants, black shoes, a toolbelt, and a black sports bra and matching panties.

"It's one of Kimmie's original mission outfits," Shego said, gesturing at the ensemble of items. "I thought you'd like to put them up on display."

"How–?" Faux whispered, her wide eyes staring at the shirt in her hands. "They stopped making them years ago."

"Kim's mission in the Amazon–" she grit her teeth then continued, "where Dr. D used his mind control chip. Kimmie ended up wearing one of my catsuits, and for once the base wasn't blown up, and, well, I never got around to tossing them away."

Faux held the turtleneck to her chest with tears in her eyes, then turned and gave Shego a massive hug.

~o~

A comfortable silence fell over the two of them, Shego drinking and watching Faux, while Faux enjoyed her present. Faux carefully laid out all the items on the table, then went going over them with a rabid attention to detail. They had never been washed, and still bore the scrapes and stains from Kim's mission. It somehow made it more real, and she could hardly look away.

Shego made herself a tad more comfortable, the world a warm, happy cocoon for her right now. She blinked as her trained eyes spotted that cute bouncer from before. How could she not with an outfit like that. She lazily watched as the woman talked to various partygoers before turning to stare across the room at their booth.

"Sexy bouncer incoming at twelve o'clock," Shego murmured. She raised an eyebrow as Faux looked up then hunkered down, and tried to burrow in-behind her.

"Save me, Beauty," Faux whispered in a hurried voice. "Take me upstairs and ravish me. Ruin me for all other women before–"

"Well, well, well, here's where you're a-hidin," the bouncer said in her strong southern accent as she arrived by their booth. She casually leaned against the wooden siding as she looked at Faux, a friendly smile on her face.

"No! Not hiding. Just socializing," Faux said as she sat up straight, her gaze staying low.

"Could've fooled me," the woman replied as she leaned forwards to inspect the clothes on the table, and in doing so, displaying an impressive amount of cleavage.

"Um… ah… yeah…" Faux murmured, her eyes mesmerized by the latex-clad breasts in front of her.

Shego found Faux's reaction quite amusing, as she herself admired the woman's taught waist in those skimpy hot pants. She wondered what it would be like to lick apricot brandy out of that cute navel. What it would be like to drink it out of Kim's… Her steamy daydream came to an abrupt halt as the woman's smoldering sea-green eyes turned to her with something akin to annoyance.

"Whoareyou? I don't know you!" the woman snapped.

Shego glared right back, the edges of her lips automatically rising into a snarl. Luckily Faux was boxing her in, otherwise she would be on her feet and in this woman's face. No one spoke to her like this. She relaxed a smidgen as Faux nudged her leg with her own, and flashed her a quick, apologetic smile.

"Megan, this is Cindy," Faux said. "Cindy, Megan, a– a good friend of mine."

"Charmed," Cindy drawled, holding out her hand.

Shego nodded as she shook the offered hand, taking note of Cindy's tone, her crushing, aggressive grip, and the possessive attitude she had towards Faux. It was interesting, especially following on from how Faux had asked to be saved. She could tell that Faux was skittish around Cindy, which did not make sense when a beautiful woman was involved.

 _There an untold story here_ , Shego thought.

"Well, now that I know where you are, is there anything you want?" Cindy asked as she sat on the edge of the table, her long legs right in front of Faux.

"No!" Faux squeaked, her hand grabbing onto Shego's for dear life.

"Okay then." She ruffled Faux's hair and stood up. "Just wanted to let y'all know that I'm a-takin my break. So if ya need me, I'mma gonna be upstairs havin' a bite to eat."

She flicked her gaze back to Shego for a split second, then turned and walked away.

Shego and Faux both followed that perfect ass as it sauntered through the crowd, but Shego's mind was elsewhere. There had been something more in Cindy's eyes at the end, and it raised her hackles. It took her a few seconds to narrow it down, the alcohol slowing her thoughts.

 _She recognized me!_ Shego thought. _She recognized me and didn't say anything_. She frowned. _Something's off!_ It was more than just that, though. Cindy's mannerisms had felt wrong, but she could not put her finger on why.

 _Is she a plant? A spy?_

Faux let out a despondent sigh, which caused Shego to realize Faux was still holding onto her hand.

 _Info time_ , Shego thought. "Trouble in paradise?"

"There is no paradise, that's the problem!" Faux whined.

Shego raised an eyebrow in question, and that was all that Faux needed to unload.

"You know I have the morals of an alley cat?" Shego nodded in agreement, even as Faux continued, "But the one thing I won't do is sleep with an employee."

"Such a hard life."

"It is when she wears outfits like that." She gestured after Cindy. "And asks such open ended questions!" She slumped back in her seat." She even shows up to cook me breakfast in my apartment… in barely anything at all!" She dragged her hands down her face. "I'm at my wits end, and I don't know how long I can hold out before I do something I'll regret!"

~o0o~

Shego stood on the landing outside Faux's apartment and readied herself, all traces of her inebriation burned away. She had excused herself to use the restroom, but had instead come upstairs to confront Cindy. She trusted her instincts, and knew when something was off.

 _There's no way I'm leaving here without knowing what's wrong!_

She grabbed the door handle and slipped inside, kicking the door shut with her heel.

"Fauxy?" Cindy called out from the couch as she looked around.

"Wrong!" Shego replied, her tone soft but deadly.

~o~

Faux rushed up the backstairs to her place, her heart thudding in anticipation. That Shego AND Cindy were both in her room at once opened up a whole world of possibilities. Mayhap, one of her wildest fantasies was about to come true. It was the only logical conclusion after Shego had asked her so many questions about Cindy.

 _It would be better with Kim and Shego, but this is a close second. And a threesome with Cindy can't be called cheating!_

She threw open the door and stepped inside, and found Shego and Cindy on the bed together.

 _Ohh, YES!_ she thought in delight. "You started having sex without me!?" she excitedly called out from the doorway, her grin unable to be contained.

"What!? No!" Shego and Cindy snapped in reply as they both turned to look at her.

Faux's happy face went ashen as Shego lifted and threw Cindy across the room, Cindy's back smashing through one of the solid bed post. Faux blinked. Then she noticed the state of her place: furniture overturned, lamps smashed, her place a shambles. She went red in the face and ran to the center of the room, her arms outstretched as she positioned herself between Shego and Cindy.

"What the hell is going on!?" Faux yelled, her irate expression switching between the two women.

"Don't ask me–" Cindy began, clenching her fists.

"Why don't you ask her–" Shego snarled, walking forwards.

Whatever Faux had been going to say next was cut short as, with a thunderous crash, four figures smashed through the roof.

~o~

Shego did not think. There was no hesitation or time taken to assess the situation, to decide, to calculate, to think. She simple reacted. Leaping forwards, she grabbed Faux around the waist and dived for cover behind the kitchen counter. Weapons fire filled the room, and she could only watch as Cindy took a blast to the chest, the woman dropping without a sound.

Shego hit the floor and slid to safety with Faux snugly held against her.

 _Shit!_

She quickly sat up and assessed that Faux was okay, the many light cuts purely superficial. Nothing major. She disentangled herself from Faux, or tried too. Faux had a deathgrip around her waist.

"Stay here. Be brave for me," Shego whispered urgently, yet her words had no effect. _Distract, react. Protect the innocent._ She sighed at the memory. _Hego sure spouted a load of hooey_. But she knew there were mere seconds left before they were attacked again. _Desperate times!_

She kissed her, the effect instantly derailing Faux's panic.

"Hey there, with me now?" Shego inquired.

"Y-Yes," Faux replied.

"Good girl. Now I need you to be strong, as I have to go and be violent."

She wiped the tears from Faux's cheeks as she received a nod of acceptance, and squeezed Faux's hands one more time before moving away. Glancing out from behind her cover, she spotted the four intruders standing silently around the room, arms casually at their sides. No weapons in sight. She especially noted the wall where Faux had been standing was peppered with bullet holes, Faux lucky to be alive. She also counted it a small mercy that Faux had missed seeing Cindy gunned down like that.

 _No visible weapons, so where are they hiding them?_ Shego thought.

"Shego, we need you to come with us," a woman called out.

"Yeah? Well, ya shoulda thought of that before shooting at me and my friend!"

"You were perfectly safe. And there can be no witnesses," a man replied.

 _No witnesses? Screw you, asshole! You're going down first!_

Shego stood up, making sure all their eyes were focused on her. Diplomacy had gone out the window as soon as they had attacked Faux. Dust and plaster filled the air, along with the smell of burnt wiring. Her four opponents looked and were dressed normally, albeit covered in debris from their dramatic entrance. Two men, two women, Asian, African-American, European, so nothing that gave her a clue as to their origin.

 _They came through the roof, so they're more than they appear._ She eyed an unopened bottle of alcohol on the bench beside her, and weighed her options. _Hego would just charge in_ … She glanced down at Faux. _Never a good idea when facing an unknown opponent, or four._

 _Outside would be best, but even if I manage it, one of them could come back for Faux_. _Soo… I need a distraction–!_

"ARGH!" one of the four suddenly cried out in pain as a bloody sword erupted from his chest. Cindy rose from behind, her skin now a metallic silver, covered in blood. She twisted the blade and pulled it free, the man dropping to the floor, dead.

"Hurt my friend, I hurt you!" Cindy snarled.

Shego grabbed the bottle and threw it, following it up with a bolt of green fire. They both struck the 'no witnesses' man in the face, the resulting fireball engulfing him. He cried out and fell back as the power in the apartment went out, the sprinkler system briefly kicking in. She ignored the chaos as she leaped, her foot slamming into a female attacker's jaw. It was like kicking a steel girder. She dropped, rolled, and came back up with a punch. The woman barely reacted, a sneer on her lips. Then before Shego's eyes the woman's skin rippled like water, morphing into a silvery metal.

 _Fuck!_

She now knew what she was facing, Cindy aside. She had memorized Kim's fight with the cyborg and read all the top secret Global Justice reports on the Middleton incident. She spun, adjusted, and unleashed a glowing, superhuman uppercut at the transforming woman to send her crashing through the ceiling. When the woman came back down, she hit the floor, unconscious.

 _They're meant to explode when they're down_ , Shego thought, a glance at the dead and unconscious cyborgs disproving that theory.

She turned and flicked her sodden hair from her eyes, and found her first victim rising from behind the couch. He appeared unharmed by the fire, his metallic skin glistening with droplets of water. Angry yellow eyes with irises of red glared at her. Inhuman eyes. Alien, and ones she had seen before … on Warmonga and Warhok. She stared into their soulless gaze, and suppressed a snarl.

In the background Cindy was barely holding her own against the last female cyborg. In was almost surreal seeing two silvery skinned woman attacking each other, their arms as blades.

Shego took it all in in a split second, then attacked.

 _Limbs into weapons, touch electrified, and they're fast and strong_. She slashed at the male cyborg's raised arms, sparks filling the air. _I'm faster._

She drove him back with repeated blows.

 _No pain receptors?_ she thought as a solid punch to the gut produced no reaction. _Pretty stupid… unless whoever made 'em doesn't care whether they live or die_.

She leaped, bringing her glowing fist around in devastating arc and connected with his jaw. He slid back from the force of the blow, yet he barely reacted. She landed in a crouch, hand aching, and waited for his retaliation.

"You cannot harm us," he calmly said, making no move to counterattack.

She pushed aside the pain in her wrist and threw a ball of green plasma at his chest. It struck, leaving no mark. She threw another and another, each more intense than the last. He stood there and took them all, uninjured and unaffected.

"There is nothing you can do!" he stated. "So stop all this resistance and come with us, then all will be made clear."

She remained tight lipped, refusing to be drawn into a useless conversation.

There was a sickening cry from Cindy as she went hurtling backwards, smashing through the kitchen counter. She lay there unmoving, her skin back to normal. Faux now clearly visible, her terrified gaze finding Shego's.

"Aberration!" the female cyborg snarled, her arm transforming into a deadly looking gun. She aimed the weapon at Cindy and Faux, cold malice in her inhuman eyes.

"No witnesses!" the male cyborg stated, moving to block Shego's path.

She saw red. She had failed to save Rachel and Kim, and while Faux was not her girlfriend, she was as close as. The green glow surrounding her hands became slightly darker, more agitated, her expression merciless. Only her brothers knew the impossibly scary power she wielded. Her glow or plasma, or call it what you will - there really was no scientific name for it - or what it could do. What she could unleash … when cornered.

She charged, feinted low, then sliced his arm off at the shoulder. A hot knife through butter. No resistance. His screeching wail of shock and pain was music to her ears, then she slashed him from head to groin. He dropped, lines of white fire seared through his silvery skin.

She ignored his smoking, wheezing husk.

"Faux, RUN!" she yelled as she turned and lunged at the female cyborg.

She tackled her to the ground and wrapped herself around the woman, an arm about her throat. Then her world became pain as electricity coursed through her. She burned. Skin blackening from the deadly current … screaming soundlessly. She tightened her grip as her vision blurred, and the last thing she saw before slipping into unconsciousness was a pair of metallic legs stopping beside her.

~o0o~

Shego slowly swum back to consciousness with the glorious sensation of fingers running through her hair. She hurt, everywhere, but at least she was alive. Next, surprisingly, came the sound of music from downstairs, the festivities continuing unabated. Groggily opening her eyes, she found it almost pitch dark, the only light coming from outside. She blinked, and saw that she was lying on the bed with her head on Faux's lap. Both of them in long, fluffy robes. Faux seemed to be lost in her own little world, smiling as she stared at nothing.

"Hey..." Shego said weakly, "I… need to make... it clear... I don't put out... until the third... date." She then winced as Faux threw her arms around her for a gentle hug.

"Beauty, you're okay," Faux said, tears of joy running down her cheeks. She pulled away but stayed close, her hand immediately returning to stroking through Shego's midnight tresses. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit, but I'll heal, she whispered hoarsely. _I always do_. "The cyborgs–?"

"We're safe."

Shego tucked that information away for now and relaxed. "How long was I out?"

"About ten minutes, dunno for sure." She squeezed Shego's shoulder then bopped her on the head. "Please don't scare me like that again!" she admonished.

"Saving your... ass... makes me look good…" She put her hands out and tried to sit up, only to have Faux push her head back down onto her lap.

"Stay, doctor's orders!" Faux said, a finger raised. "Give yourself some more time to recover."

"Fine…" Shego barely whispered, too tender at the moment to resist or argue. She turned her head to look at the ruined apartment, no sign of Cindy or the downed cyborgs. "Where–"

"Cindy took them. She said it was the only way to keep me safe." She dropped her head. "She's gone…"

 _Good!_ But she still held Faux's knee in sympathy. It did leave her in the dark as to who wanted her, and why. She had far too many enemies to narrow it down.

"It's not fair," Faux softly wailed as she buried her face in shego's side, "I had a super sexy cyborg all to myself, and I lost her." She sat there, sniffling. "You so owe me sex since she's left!"

"I so do not!" Shego replied, as she brushed Faux's hair aside.

"At least a makeout session to ease my wounded heart?"

Shego could see that Faux was truly upset at Cindy leaving, and felt a pang of remorse that she had contributed to it. There was more than just her being here, she had also disabled the security system so Kim would not come running. It would be the reason why Global Justice and the authorities had not come swooping in. However, those agencies not showing suited her just fine right now, as did Cindy's handling of the cyborgs. She fully understood what that entailed, and while she aimed not kill, she silently approved of Cindy's ruthless actions to keep Faux safe.

"Comprise?" Shego suggested. "We head downstairs and talk about how to fix your apartment, then we get ourselves well and truly plastered?"

"And if I cop a feel?"

"Then there's a good chance I won't break your wrist."

The tentative smile from Faux clinched the deal.

~o0o~

Shego woke to the sounds of birds chirping and the comforting warmth of her bed. She cracked an eyelid and looked around her bedroom, the light through the heavy curtains telling her it was well past midmorning. An eyebrow rose in surprise. Out in the world she was always on edge and up early. But here at home she liked to sleep in, though this late was a rarity. She hugged her pillow and let out a happy sigh. After last night's shenanigans she felt fine. No hangover or adverse effects from Mr Possible's homemade brew. It was cheating with her inhuman constitution, which suited her just fine.

She lay there for the longest time, before doing a series of enjoyable stretches beneath the covers. She felt incredibly well-rested in both mind and body, much more than a simple night's sleep should entail.

 _Seems a night out with friends was just what the doctor ordered_.

"Up," she muttered, and after a few halfhearted tries she managed the accomplishment. Sitting on the edge of the bed she rubbed her eyes, then noticed the state of her room. All the drawers were open, clothes strewn about the floor.

 _Geez, a messy drunk too._

She stood up and scratched her behind, then went to remove the t-shirt she had slept in.

 _Can't be bothered gettin' dressed, I'm gonna have a lazy day in._

She made a half-hearted attempt to straighten her top as she shuffled to the door, but promptly became distracted by the smell of freshly brewed coffee and cooked bacon.

 _Mama's the best!_

She eagerly trotted to the kitchen but found it empty, no sign of her coffee heaven. She huffed and grabbed a mug, then headed for the outside kitchen beside the pool.

"Morning, Firefly," Mrs. Go said as Shego appeared.

"Morning, Beauty. Did you sleep well?" Faux cooed at her.

 _Wha–?_ Shego thought, the cup falling from her fingers.

The sound of the mug shattering was inconsequential as Shego stared at Faux and her mother casually sitting next to each other. Even her need for coffee was forgotten. She noted that Faux was once again back to her natural appearance, her hair a strawberry blond and her eyes a clear crystal blue. However, the stylish black bikini and colorful sarong she was wearing was most definitely not hers. It was Shego's, the open drawers in her bedroom falling into place. Which begged the question, where had Faux spent the night. And in what fashion…

Above all these questions and more, one stood out.

 _HOW did she–?_ She blinked, knowing the only answer. _But still, how? How could I be so stupid as to bring her here?_ She wracked her brains, but everything after arranging the repairs for Faux's apartment were a fuzzy blur. A true first. The surprise bonus at the bottom of every bottle.

"Here, let me help with that," Faux cheerfully said as she walked over and squatted down to gather up the broken pieces of the mug.

Shego came back to herself with realization that Faux was crouched next to her bare legs, the woman openly admiring the pale green skin on display. It did not help her case that her black panties were barely covered by her shirt, or that she had no bra on; her thin top emphasizing the treasures within. She opened her mouth to chastise, then closed it. It would achieve nothing. As would pulling down her shirt. Storming out to change, while dramatic, would only give Faux a grand view of her swaying backside as she left, and deprive her of coffee and bacon.

 _Why, oh why, couldn't it be Kimmie down there? One little innuendo and everything would be back to normal._

She took the only other option available to her and crouched down to help, and before too long they were both sitting at the table. A happy sigh escaped her lips as coffee was poured, followed by a large serving of bacon and eggs. She smiled and tucked in, the plate in front of Faux already polished off before she had arrived.

She took a sip of coffee, no longer able to ignore the excited, beaming smile from Faux.

"Hmm?" Shego said, directing the wordless question at Faux.

"Again, thank you for letting me stay with you until my apartments fixed," Faux said, kissing her in the cheek. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

 _I did WHAT?_ Shego thought, somehow managing to keep her face calm. "Uh, sure," she replied, another mystery solved.

"Now off you go, dear. You've been patient long enough," Mrs. Go said.

"You sure?" Faux replied.

"Shoo. Go. Sheridan and I have some things to discuss."

Shego twitched at the use of her real name, but it was tempered by the fact that Faux already knew that secret. Sitting there, she watched her run off, wondering what could be so important as to pull Faux away from her side.

"Such a charming, interesting young woman," Mrs. Go said as she sat down opposite Shego. "And I'm so proud of you that you offered her a place to stay in her hour of need."

"I was drunk as a skunk." _Otherwise, it would've been a five star hotel!_

"You both were. It took some doing to pour the two of you into your bed, the both of you giggling the whole way."

 _Shit! Did we have sex? I can't remember! Hey–!_ She glared at her mom. "I do not giggle!"

"Care to wager," Mrs. Go said as she produced a mobile phone.

"No, it's fine. I believe you." _I'm never going to hear the end of this! And if Kimmie ever finds out?_ She suppressed a shudder at the amount of mileage Kim would get from such a recording. After a few more sips of coffee she asked, "But why in my bed?"

"You refused to let her sleep anywhere else."

"But–"

There was a whoop of happiness from inside the villa and then a naked Faux came running out. She passed them by as she made her way down towards the beach, a large towel and sunscreen in her hands.

"Best - getaway - EVER!" she yelled as she disappeared from sight.

Shego let out a big sigh. _This is not going to get any better_ …

 **~o0o~**

Stuff. It happened. Caused delays. Moving on now…

Yes, no Kim centric chapter as I wanted.


	4. A Hero's Work Is Never Done

**~o0o~**

Alone.

It was such a simple word, but it meant so much more to one Kim Possible, teen hero and world's savior as she dropped from a hovercraft and onto the skyscraper's rooftop. That singular thought – of missing the special someone in her life, of Shego – was there when she went to sleep, and there when she awoke. And while it did not hinder her day to day activities, it was an annoying itch that she just could not scratch.

 _Seven months_ , Kim thought. _I haven't seen Shego for seven months_. She let out a forlorn sigh. _More than half a year of searching for her. I know she's out there. Faux has seen her, the Wegos have seen her. Even Mom has seen her!_

 _It's so not fair!_

She was handling their sudden separation by vigorously throwing herself at the slew of new villains that had sprung up in the wake of the Perses Virus. Days, weeks, circumnavigating the globe as she quelled every half-bit crazy with a contraption or an idea who wanted to be a villain. Surprisingly, punching bad guys was quite cathartic for her mood, though she would much rather be out searching for her could be – hopefully would be – girlfriend-in-hiding.

 _She's just too good at staying under the radar without Drakken to mess things up for her._ A huff escaped her lips. _She's a ghost without him!_

She rolled her shoulders and pushed those gloomy thoughts aside, refusing to let them distract her.

 _There's business to take care of!_

She raised an eyebrow at her surrounds as she weaved her way through all the ductwork and ventilation systems atop the roof, the floor shaking beneath her feet. Whoever had designed the tower had a flair for the dramatic, as spaced along the parapet were intricately designed grotesques. She rolled her eyes then shivered as a breeze gusted up the side of the building, the cool of Australia's winter making a nice change from the heat of Colorado's summer. Actually it wasn't that bad, considering she was used to snowy winters at home.

She rested a hand on a grotesques back and crouched down, leaning forwards.

"I'm Batman!" she announced in a deep growl, smirking at her own silliness.

She couldn't hold back a yawn as she rested against the statue, the stone rough against her touch. She was running on fumes after a week of helping fight forest fires in Southern Australia, and had been on her way to Mexico when the emergency call from Global Justice had come in.

A part of her had wanted to rebel and say no.

But she was needed.

So she was here.

This high up she had a perfect view over the city, and a clear line of sight at the destruction. Only a few blocks away a maelstrom of debris hung in the air, spinning high into the sky. It darkened the sun as it circled what remained of the city's center, the devastation within almost complete. Kim calmly took it all in before a deep, throbbing hum filled her senses, the rooftop shaking once more; in the distance buildings exploded upwards and outwards, their wreckage joining the expanding vortex of chaos above. It was all terrible and fascinating to behold, but that was just another day in the life of Kim Possible.

She narrowed her gaze then activated her wrist kimmunicator. "How's the sitch, Wade?"

"Not good," Wade promptly replied, his frowning face on screen. "It's increased in size a thousand fold since we were first contacted, and it's definitely electromagnetic in nature. I'm agreeing with Global Justice that it's most likely stolen Lorwardian technology." He looked away, typing quickly. "Whatever's doing it, it's pumping out so much interference that it's impossible to scan what's going on inside."

"What'll communications be like once I'm in?"

"Sketchy, at best. Most likely none."

"And the new suit? I know we haven't fully tested all its systems yet."

"The Mark Six Battlesuit will be fine. It's fully shielded against any and all outside influences."

"Like the Dementor Incident?"

"Exactly!"

It was a sore point for both of them, more so for Wade. He had taken it personally that Professor Dementor had remotely taken control of the original battlesuit, and had made sure that with each and every upgrade that the suit could never again be hacked or tampered with.

Kim turned back to the vortex, knowing full well what going in blind would mean. These were the most dangerous of missions – when she had no contact with Wade or any backup, plus an unknown villain waiting for her at the end. Too many times she had arrived home bloody and bruised from just such an operation. It starkly brought up that she had promised her parents that she would be more careful these days, but as the maelstrom expanded once more, she knew there was no other choice.

"Old school it is!" she stated.

"Roger that," Wade replied.

"Well then, inform Global Justice that I'm going in!"

"Will do, and go save the day."

"Kim out."

She saluted him goodbye and switched off her kimmunicator, then stood up. She wasn't worried about being seen, the electromagnetic interference went two ways. Plus she was on top of a distant skyscraper. Outfitted in her long-sleeved, purple mission t-shirt, black pants, grey gloves, and sturdy combat boots, she played with a plain silver bracelet sitting snugly around her wrist as she memorized a route through the devastation.

Happy with a path, she drew her grappling gun.

 _No Wade for backup. No Shego to look forward to. Just me and a mystery villain_. She fastened the grapples claw to the grotesque, then huffed. _I should be in Acapulco following up on that lead about Shego, not here_. She idly traced a fingertip along the statue's flared wing.

"I bet you don't have any relationship problems."

She tested the claw's hold three times before she stepped up onto the parapet, a dizzying drop just a hand's-breath away. She looked down without a hint of fear then swan dived off the roof, grinning as she hurtled towards the ground. At the last possible instant she pressed a button on her grappling gun to slow her descent, the muscles in her arm taking the strain as she spun about, descending feet first.

 _Touchdown!_

She raised the gun above her head and activated a switch, and in a few seconds the cable had fully retracted into its housing. Holstering the device, she set off at a brisk jog along the deserted street, her mind firmly in mission mode.

~o0o~

"MWAHAHAHAHA!" a man's voice cackled out insanely from nearby.

Kim wiped the sweat from her brow, her journey to the epicenter of the maelstrom as hard as she had envisaged. It had started out fairly easy, but the closer she got the more dangerous it had become. Yet it wasn't the razor sharp shards of glass and other falling debris sporadically hitting her battlesuit's shield that had worried her, it was the bus sized chunks of masonry, and bigger, to be concerned about.

 _It's like a warzone,_ she thought, looking around at the remnants of the city center. _Or the aftereffects of the Lorwardian invasion._

She suppressed a shiver at the recollection, her face and clothes now covered in a thin layer of dirt and grime. A quick glance at her wrist kimmunicator showed her that she was disconnected from Wade, but that had been expected. With nothing else to go on but the villain's voice, she inched a little higher and peeked out from behind some rubble.

 _So… what am I up against–?_

She slapped a hand across her mouth as she stifled a laugh, spinning back out of sight. She had expected almost anything, but not this.

 _Oh - My - God!_

She took a moment to compose herself then once again peeked out from behind her hiding place.

Standing on the raised platform of what had once been a fountain was a portly, middle-aged man dressed in brightly colored, too tight, yellow and purple spandex. Completing the fashion disaster was a high-collared, red sequined cape, a feathery owl mask and sandals. He currently had his arms raised, waving them about as he stared at the vortex in the sky, and attached to his hands and running up his forearms were a pair of high-tech gauntlets.

It was here that Kim focused her gaze.

 _Ahh, so that's how you're doing it!_

She also took note of the twelve beefy HenchCo henchmen sitting nearby, all of them looking quite bored. While the situation was deadly serious, she had to suppress a giggle as she returned her gaze to the villain. She found his ridiculous outfit brightening her day, so she decided to go easy on him.

 _Yeah, he's destroyed a city so he's going to jail, but I can see that he has no idea what he's doing._ She moved back and stood up, pondering the situation. _I could try the softly-softly approach? No battlesuit, and see if he'll just surrender?_ She pursed her lips. _Risky, but worth it. And if he does just give up, I'll still have time to follow up on that lead about Shego._

"MWAHAHA!" the villain yelled out. "See, my loyal minions? See how I have conquered all before me?"

"Sure, boss," one of the henchmen promptly replied.

"Now, nothing can stand in my way–"

"I wouldn't say that," Kim called out as she stepped into view, hands on her hips.

"Ahhhh!" the villain shrieked as he jumped in fright, spinning about with wide eyes.

Kim stood there in just her mission outfit, her gaze firmly on the villain and thus on his badly fitting uniform. Especially on how it didn't cover enough here and was definitely too tight down … there. Yes, her thoughts were on the feminine form these days, but that didn't mean she still didn't appreciate a sexy guy. This villain, however, was not. And 'down there' was not something a girl should be forced to stare at.

 _Shego makes spandex look good. Think of Shego! Think of–_

"Wow! It's you! It's really, really you!" the villain exclaimed as he excitedly bounced from foot to foot. "I thought they'd send Captain Australia or The Echidna, but to face _the_ Kim Possible." He punched the air. "Oh yeah, I'm in the big time now, guys!"

"Well done," a henchman said.

"Way to go, boss," another henchman softly cheered.

 _Oookay…_ Kim thought, looking at them all. _This all got pretty darn weird pretty darn quick_.

"Guys, guys, take a photo of us together," the villain said as he jumped down and trotted towards Kim.

 _Um?_ "NO!" Kim snapped as she held up a hand, her sharp word bringing the villain up short. _I'm used to a little bit of hero worship, but this is totally awkweird. Especially from a guy I'm about to arrest._

"I– I really would like a photo," the villain said, "but I guess we're on opposite sides right now, huh?"

"Totally," Kim replied. _Phew!_ "I'm glad you understand… Um, and you are?"

"And I am?"

 _Yeah, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed_ , she thought, taking in his blank expression. "And your name is?"

"Oh, sorry!" He reached into his top. Kim readied herself for a surprise attack. And he pulled out a small, crumpled up piece of card, cleared his throat, then read from it. "I, am Dr. Steel, Master of the Magnetic Arts!" He glanced at his minions. "How was that?" He received a thumbs up, so returned to his reading. "And I, Kim Possible, am your, um… foe!" His shoulders sagged as he shook his head. "No-no-no, that just doesn't sound right. Not now that it's _you!"_

"How about nemesis?" Kim piped up, always willing to help.

"Nemesis? Nemesis?" he muttered, stroking his chin in thought. It didn't take long before he smiled. "Yes! That's perfect!" He pointed a finger at Kim. "I am your _nemesis!"_

"You tell her, boss!"

"Well, now that we've got the pleasantries out of they way," Kim said. "I don't suppose you're just willing to surrender? You know, without a fuss and all?"

"Surrender?"

"It'll save you and your men a lot of bumps and bruises in the end."

"But– but why would I surrender? I've only just started my life of villainy!"

"And why did you do that?" _And why on earth did you choose such a ridiculous costume?_

"Why?"

"Yes, why? Why become a villain in the first place?" she asked exasperatedly. "You invented a piece of tech that you could've sold for millions, and yet, instead of doing that, you chose to become a criminal. So why? What makes the life of a villain so much better than anything else you could've decided to do?"

"I… have my reasons. And after today, I'll be famous. I'll get me a cool lair and more henchmen." He licked his lips. "Then, a sidekick."

Kim kept a straight face as she mentally facepalmed. About how Shego had ruined a lot of the men on the planet, and quite a few of the women too. Getting them all to think that if you became a villain, you ended up with a super sexy sidekick. One that wore a skintight suit. Stupid or not, idiotic or not, he was wielding a weapon that had devastated a city.

"Look, you seem like an okay kinda guy, are you sure I can't talk you into surrendering?" Kim said. "It's me, after all. So I'll totally put in a good word with Global Justice for you, when they arrive." _C'mon, c'mon, please listen to reason. Don't go down the crazy route._

"I've conquered a city. I'll never surrender!" he shouted with gleeful defiance.

 _Dammit!_ She grimaced and looked him right in the eyes. "Listen, I'm trying to make this easy for you, 'cause the agents on their way won't be looking to subdue you!"

"You're lying," he gasped, glancing about at the ruined landscape.

"I wish I wasn't! But you've destroyed a city, and the U.N's charter states that–"

"I won't let you trick me!" he yelled.

"It's not a trick!" she yelled right back, her hopes fading as she watched him embrace the mad scientist within.

"I don't care! You're against me! You're all against me!" He leaped back, pointing a finger at Kim. "Now taste defeat, Kim Possible, at the hands of the mighty Dr. Steel! Henchmen, attack!"

Kim turned to look at the henchmen as they grabbed their power staves and headed towards her. And it was just that, a look, yet it conveyed so much more. It promised a world of pain, and blood, and more. One by one they stopped until they had all shuffled to a halt. Big beefy guys brought to a standstill by a simple look.

"Uh, boss… it's Kim Freakin Possible."

"Oh? Yes. Right. Sorry." He gestured at Kim. "You may have saved the world, Kim Possible, but I–" He waved a hand and Kim was almost pulled off her feet as all her equipment flew from her. "I have disarmed you. While you–" He chuckled with insane glee. "You didn't pack your super suit." He glared at his men. "There, she's helpless. Now, get her!"

Unfortunately for the henchmen they were stock standard HenchCo employees. This meant that they were intensely loyal to whoever was paying their bills and not the brightest around. They had been given an order, and all they could see was a lone teenage girl standing against them. It was the same mistake all the villains, terrorists, and evildoers made, never mind Kim's reputation.

She adjusted her stance, watching as the henchmen advanced.

 _I really hoped we could've done this the easy way_. She clenched her fists. _Guess it was to much to hope for_.

In the old days – well, about a year ago – she would have waited for them to attack first, but she had moved beyond all that. She crouched and leapt, spinning in midair.

A kick to a henchman's head sent him flying into his companions, and before she touched the ground she angled her body and shattered another's knee. She landed and rolled and came at them head on, taking full advantage of their shock and confusion. Her next strike splintered a man's leg, bone ripping through skin, blood spraying across the ground as he dropped.

She tuned out his screams, there was a city to save.

She catapulted over their heads, striking quick and fast, two more henchmen crying out in pain as they dropped. A falling staff became a viable weapon, and she grabbed it. Spinning it around her body she slammed it's charged end into a henchman's face, a satisfying crunch running up her arms as he flew backwards. She danced away then swung the staff in a wide arc before leaping high into the air, her eyes glimmering with excitement. She lived for this, the adrenalin and the adventure. When her life was on the line. It was everything. She landed and darted amongst them, and where she stopped, a henchman fell, moving on before they had even hit the ground.

In reality the battle had been over before it had even begun, and soon she stood victorious over the broken, groaning bodies of her foes. She twirled the staff over her head and slammed it into the ground, leaving it there, and flicking the hair from her face she turned and looked at Dr. Steel.

"Ready to come quietly?" she asked, her voice still reasonable.

"St-Stay back!" Dr. Steel squealed in panic, his eyes wide.

She ignored him and walked forwards. It was time to end this.

Dr. Steel stepped back and fell over then scrambled away as he pointed both of his trembling hands at her. Rebar oozed from the ground and wrapped itself around Kim's ankles, then the whole world went mad. Nearby buildings exploded outwards and upwards as tons of metal, steel and reinforced concrete flew into the air. It hung there for a split-second before it descended upon Kim, no way to escape.

 _Hoo-boy, this'll be interesting!_ she thought.

She disappeared beneath the maelstrom of debris, until a giant, silent tomb covered where she had been standing. It left the area a choking, dust filled haze. And in the silence of its aftermath, a coughing figure slowly rose to its feet.

"I– I did it?" Dr. Steel mumbled in awe. "I defeated Kim Possible?" He blinked a few times before punching the air in victory. "I defeated Kim Possible!" he yelled out proudly to the world. With a wave of his hands he yanked the mound apart, then stared bug-eyed at what was revealed. Kim stood there in a perfectly spherical hollow, alive, unharmed, and resplendent in her white and blue battlesuit.

She glared at him, no mercy in her eyes.

"No–" Dr. Steel mumbled.

She took a slow, deliberate step towards him.

"Please–" he whimpered as he took a step back. In desperation he sent three street lights spearing at her chest.

She dodged two of them with catlike grace, the third she cut in two with a glowing green energy blade extending from the back of her wrist. She rolled to her feet and charged, dismissing the blade as she went … then turned invisible.

Dr. Steel gasped and frantically looked around for her.

"Oh God! Oh God! Oh–" he blubbered as he turned to run, but he only made it two steps before an unseen fist connected with his jaw, lifting him off the ground.

"Next time, take the easy option!" Kim said sternly as she looked down at Dr. Steel's unconscious form.

With the villain taken care of and knowing Global Justice was on the way, she went into cleanup and triage mode. She pulled the still-vibrating gauntlets off Dr. Steel, retrieved her stolen gear, and bound him securely before turning back to the gloves. She sat down and dragged them onto her lap, and gave them her undivided attention.

 _This one to disable?_ she thought, looking at a bright red switch. _Or this?_ A dial catching her eye. _Or maybe these?_ She wiped her brow and looked inside, knowing that the wrong choice on such a device could literally blow up in her face. She eventually decided upon an unassuming button by the wrist.

 _Here goes nothing!_

She pushed the button and the ever-present hum from the gloves died away. It was immediately followed by the circling vortex of debris plummeting back to earth. The sight and sounds of half a city raining back to earth were terrifying and thoroughly deafening, but Kim didn't even bat an eye as she tapped on her kimmunicator.

"Hey Wade, what's the sitch?" she shouted, over the din.

"Kim?" Wade exclaimed, looking up from his keyboard.

"The bad guy's down for the count, along with his henchmen."

"That's great." He looked past Kim at all the debris raining down. "You okay? Any issues?"

"I'm good. The suit performed above and beyond."

"I can… see that…" he said slowly, his eyes flicking between Kim, the falling city, and another screen.

"It was no big," she said, dismissively waving a hand in the air. "The guy was a total noob, all things considered." She reached over and pulled off Dr. Steel's mask to reveal an unassuming face. "Inform Global Justice and Sadie of the situation, then see what you can find out about this guy." With a flick of her wrist she tossed the mask aside. "For now, I have a few injured henchmen to look after."

"Roger that, Kim. Glad you're okay. Wade out."

 _Triage time!_ she silently announced as she headed towards the henchmen. Out of nowhere she remembered the start of her new life. Of Shego showing up in her bedroom and helping her mom look after her.

 _I wish I knew then what I know now. I could've chatted her up big time. Especially when she_ … She blushed as the erotic daydream washed over her, enticing her to stay. Skin against skin. Lips exploring intimate places for the very first time. She actually had to pinch herself to focus back on the here and now.

 _I'm so lookin' forward to caring for her sexy butt the next time she gets an ouchie_.

~o~

Kim stood up and stretched her back, and looked down at her handiwork. It had taken her a while to treat all the henchmen's wounds, but she was happy with a job well done. True, she had inflicted all their injuries, but that was no reason not to look after them as well. Her mother was a doctor, so it was ingrained into her to care for those in need.

"Take it easy, Chris," she said, gently squeezing a henchman's arm in support. "Help will be here soon."

She received a grateful nod in reply, and headed back over to Dr. Steel. She double checked his bindings then sat down, her elbow on a knee and chin in hand, as she looked him up and down.

 _Arnold Plimpton: former science professor, then former janitor. You caused so much terror and destruction, and for what? So you could get some revenge? Or did you always plan to play the villain?_ She had seen it before and would see it again. How a good idea, some brains, and a bad situation could send someone mad with power. _I hope it was worth it, Arnold. 'Cause you're going away for a long, long time._

She sighed and stared over at her waiting hovercraft with barely contained impatience. She needed to be elsewhere. Specifically: Acapulco, and following up on that lead about Shego. Unfortunately she was stuck here waiting for Global Justice, plus they would want to question her in detail about everything, thus delaying her even more. Let alone how they were going to handle her unorthodox decision about the gauntlets.

 _Dr. Director's not going to like it, but I have an ace up my sleeve._

She turned her gaze to the clear winter's sky.

"I–I'm sorry…" Arnold Plimpton mumbled.

"Hey, you're awake?" Kim exclaimed, looking down at her prisoner.

"I'm sorry I tried to hurt you!"

"It's fine," Kim said, patting him on the shoulder. "You're not the first to try, and you won't be the last."

"I–I'm not a violent person, honest. But I just… lost it." He looked away. "I was just so angry…"

"I know." _I know everything, thanks to Wade._ She gave him a reassuring smile. "So here's what I'm gonna do…"

She leaned down, even though she didn't have to, and started to talk quickly and quietly. Arnold's eyes grew wider and wider the longer Kim went on, and by the end he had tears in them. She held out a hand and he vigorously shook it as best he could, words failing him.

"It's okay," Kim said. "I–"

They both looked up as two sleek Global Justice jets soared into view, coming to a halt right above.

 _About time!_ Kim thought as she watched them slowly descend. She squeezed Arnold's hands and gave him a conspiratorial wink then walked over to the jets landing zone, fingers impatiently drumming on her arm. _No, no, take your time! It's not like I don't have anywhere else to be!_

With a loud roar from their VTOL engines the two jets landed with military precision, their side hatches slamming open to unload numerous agents in grey suits, black helmets and shock harnesses, all with drawn weapons. Kim watched as one group surrounded the henchmen, another forming a perimeter around Arnold Plimpton.

 _Overkill, much? They know I have everything under control._

"Miss Possible?"

Kim turned at the hail, two agents approaching her. They looked extremely officious in their pristine blue-gray uniforms, dark sunglasses on their stony faces.

"Hey guys," Kim said as she walked over to meet them, ready to be on her way.

"I'm Agent Carter and this is Agent Hunt," the burlier of the two agents said. "On behalf of Global Justice we'd like to thank you for your invaluable assistance in neutralizing the threat."

"It was no big," Kim replied, going on automatic. She watched as Arnold was marched past her and into one of the waiting jets, the henchmen still being looked at by some medical personnel.

"Since it's going to take us a while to process all the individuals and the technology involved–"

 _Here it comes._

"–Let's begin your debriefing."

 _Ugh!_ She gave them a perfunctory smile. "Sorry guys, but I'm gonna have to bail on the whole debriefing thing."

She felt sorry for them at her unexpected reply. It was clearly not something they were used to by the looks on their faces. She had a working relationship with Global Justice. Was on their want list to join. Yet she wasn't in Global Justice. She skirted the grey areas as a hero and a vigilante which meant she did not officially answer to them. But in a way, she did. Again, it was a grey area.

"I'm sorry, but we have to insist!" Agent Hunt demanded.

 _Typical reply_ , she thought. _As expected_. "No can do, there's someplace I've gotta be." She put her fingers between her lips and whistled, and her hovercraft ascended into the air. It flew over until it hovered above Kim, a rope ladder rolling down. She grabbed a rung, then the hovercraft slowly rose. "Rain check, kay?" She climbed up to the open hatch and paused, looking back down. "Oh, and I'm keeping the tech. I worked out a deal with Mr. Plimpton for his family."

"I– We can't allow that," Agent Hunt spluttered.

"I wasn't asking. I was telling!"

~o~

Kim climbed into the hovercraft, pulled up the ladder, and slammed the trapdoor shut. She diligently stowed Dr. Steels gauntlets in a locker then with a happy sigh she collapsed onto the cushioned seat at the back, free at last.

 _I know I was being being passive aggressive towards those poor agents, but gosh darn it if Dr. Director doesn't deserve it for pushing through that U.N resolution._

"Girl, you're gettin down right feisty these days," a voice chirped up from out of the hovercraft's speaker system.

"Heya Sadie," Kim replied as she stifled a yawn.

A dusky skinned woman materialized out of thin air next to Kim. She appeared to be in her early thirties, with shoulder length, finely braided hair, and an athletic build. She wore faded jeans, with a tight blouse, complimented by a stylish leather jacket and biker boots.

"Good ta see you puttin' yer foot down with those guys," Sadie said as she looked down at Kim with a smile. "You keep that sass up and soon you'll be sayin' 'no' ta them."

"It's never that simple," Kim replied. "Especially when lives are on the line."

"I know, I know," Sadie replied, holding up her hands. "But you've been running yourself ragged for them, and need a break."

 _So true_ …

Kim couldn't hold back her next yawn, her tired eyes closing as the exertions of the day caught up with her. The seat was suddenly so comfortable, the lure of sleep calling to her.

 _Forget'n sumthin_ …

"Take it easy. Have a nap," Sadie said, as relaxing music drifted through the cockpit. "I'll have you home in a jiffy."

 _Sleep_ … _Yes, sleep is good_ … _M'be dr'm of Sh'go_ … She smiled as she drifted off, but then she remembered…

 _Shego!_

She sat bolt upright, both her body and her mind complaining at the sudden exertion. She was alone and in the dark, the interior of the hovercraft barely lit by the instrument panels. It was inky black outside, the Pacific Ocean far, far below as they hurtled through the stratosphere on their way home.

"Sadie, get me Wade!"

The lights instantly came on and the music faded away, then Wade's face came up on one of the dashboard's screens.

"Hey Kim, what's up?"

"That intel on Shego, where did it lead?"

"Hang on, I'll check my latest findings."

Kim leaned forwards even though she had been through this same scenario many times before. A clue involving Shego, which invariable led to nothing. And when it did pan out, Shego had already moved on. Kim rubbed the tiredness from her eyes, smiling wanly as Sadie appeared next to her. She returned her attention to Wade, her hopes rising the longer he took to scrutinize the data.

Wade looked up with a triumphant smile. "Kim–"

 _Please_.

"–It's her!"

Kim's heart leapt at the news and she could barely suppress the indescribable longing and wild excitement that suddenly coursed through her.

 _Shego_ … she thought, her imagination already conjuring up a barrage of alluring mental images of what could be. It would be their first time together in so long and there was so much she wanted to say and do. She bit her lip in anticipation, then realized that Wade was still talking to her.

"…And that's how I pinpointed her location," Wade said, proudly. "Here, I'll bring up her suite via the smart tv."

A large holographic picture of Wade and his bedroom appeared in midair before it was replaced by an exquisitely decorated hotel room. Kim's heart leapt as an out of focus individual passed in front of the camera. She inched forwards barely able to contain herself, then Shego walked into view and dropped unceremoniously onto a couch.

 _It's you!_ Kim thought. _It's really, really you!_ She slowly, almost hesitantly reached out and ghosted her fingers across the image. _She looks good. Really, really good_. A great weight flowed from her, relief born from knowing. To see Shego so relaxed and obviously well, it brought a lump to her throat.

 _I've been so worried, about… everything_.

She shifted closer, smiling as Shego frowned. In the old days it would have caused her to tense up, but her views towards Shego's mannerisms were now quite biassed. She found the crinkle in Shego's forehead quite cute, endearing, and a tad bit sexy. The fact that Shego was dressed in a loose fitting t-shirt and some short shorts only helped those feelings.

 _She's so damn sexy!_

She blushed as Shego threw a leg over the arm of the chair, her eyes riveted to all that skin. Technically, she was spying. And there was a whole lot of voyeurism going on as well. A part of her, a tiny part, felt torn about it all, but neither did she ask Wade to cut the feed.

 _Gawwwd, those legs! I just wanna_ –

"Why isn't she green?" Sadie asked.

 _Um…_ Kim thought, blinking in realization. _Why isn't she green?_ She was an expert investigator, but had missed it in her desire filled haze. _Oh God! Did she lose her powers? Did I do this to her? Is that why she ran? Why she's hiding?_ Luckily her fears were quickly quelled as she remembered that her mom, Faux, and others had all seen Shego since that night, and none of them had mentioned anything about a change in skin color. The clinching factor, Shego had used her powers to protect Faux a few months ago.

"It's a disguise," Kim stated. _But for who?_

"Makes sense," Wade added. "She's as widely known as you, Kim. And we know she likes her privacy."

 _Maybe, but I'm not so sure. Anyways it doesn't matter, I've found her!_ She glanced at the clock on the dashboard and did some quick maths. _And I'll be there in time for dinner, with her, in Acapulco_. "Sadie?"

"On it," Sadie replied, the soft hum of the hovercraft's engines rising in tone as the ship changed course and increased speed.

Kim unconsciously ran a hand through her hair, then pictured how she must look after her battle with Dr. Steel. _I can't show up looking like this. Dressed like this_. Dropping to her knees she opened up one of the lockers beneath the seat.

"Kim, do we need to have another talk about you coming back without your mission outfit?" Sadie asked.

"A building was dropped on me," Kim replied as she dragged out her duffel bag.

"A building!?" both Wade and Sadie exclaimed.

"A small one…" _Ah-ha!_ "I decided it would be a good test for the suit, so I didn't bother dodging." She stood up with a change of clothes in hand, only to find two stern sets of eyes looking at her. _Uh-oh_. "Guys, I was fine– No need to tell anyone– Please?"

"Sorry, Kim," Wade replied, looking sheepish. "You know I promised your mom and Kimberley that I'd let them know if you were being reckless."

"As did I," Sadie said.

"But–" She took in their resolute faces and sighed "I'm not getting out of this, am I?" Two heads shook in the negative. "Can you at least wait til I'm home?"

"Of course," they both answered in unison.

Disaster averted … for now, she held up her change of attire. Sadie promptly disappeared, while Wade pushed a key to turn off his feed. Now it was just her and Shego, and while she watched, Shego pushed up her shirt and scratched her stomach.

Kim's breathing increased as she stared, unable to look away. Her clothes forgotten.

 _If only I were home_ …

It was one thing to get a little bit crazy in the privacy of her own home, it was another out in public. Sadie was technically still here. She was the hovercraft, after all. And Wade, well he was just the push of a button away. Even with all that, it didn't stop the fantasy from building in her mind.

 _I'm seeing her soon. Have some control_ …

She closed her eyes and breathed in and out a few times to focus herself, though it left her tingling from head to toe. Opening her mouth, she promptly closed it again, her cheeks heating up. The thought of getting changed in front of Shego, even though it was a one-way feed, was still too much. So she walked over and turned the video off.

 _Okay. Better. I can do this now_. She pursed her lips, then subvocalized, "Kilo-India-Mike, One-One-Zero-Zero-Six, Pandaroo."

While wearing the battlesuit, Kim could feel – everything. It was like she was naked as the day she was born, yet at the same time covered in the strongest steel. It was a power and a responsibility that she took deadly seriously. There was subtle shimmering in the air around her as the silvery-blue power lines along the suit flared for a second, then it started to peel away from her skin. The process was slow at first but gained in speed, until the suit had completely receded into a plain silver bracelet now adorning her wrist.

She had tried to describe the unique sensation to others, but the nearest approximation she could give was like a second skin growing. It made her shiver every time.

 _Until the next emergency_ , she thought, tapping the bracelet.

She was painfully aware that she was now completely nude, so she quickly laid her clothes on the seat then delved back into her duffel bag. In no time at all she had washed herself with a handful of wet wipes, applied some deodorant, and dressed herself. And after a quick brush of her hair, she was done.

 _Muuuch better_.

She straightened some imaginary creases out of her plain white t-shirt, the skinny jeans adorning her legs good for any occasion. She nodded in satisfaction at her attire, counting herself suitably presentable for a long-overdue meeting with a prospective girlfriend.

 _I can only hope…_ She nervously bit her lip. _Rose did say that she'd fight me every step of the way._

She brought the video feed of Shego back up, butterflies suddenly filling her stomach.

 _Oh geez!_ _I'm gonna do it. I'm actually gonna ask her out. What if I lose it like in High School? Like when I tried to ask Josh out? No! I can do this. Just keep it simple and ask her to dinner. There's lots of great restaurants in Acapulco, after all_.

"Kim, problem! Wade called out over the intercom.

"What's the sitch?" she replied.

The holographic image split in two, one side with Shego the other showing a lavish hallway. There were over a dozen thuggish looking men outside a door in the corridor, all with drawn weapons.

"That's outside her room!" Wade said, his voice raised in concern.

"Sadie?"

"We're already going as fast as we can," Sadie replied. "ETA: fifteen minutes.

 _Too slow_. "Wade, call her room!" _She'll ignore her mobile_.

One of the men knocked on the door just as the phone began to ring. Shego looked up then stood up, but she headed out of shot towards the door, not the phone.

 _NO!_

Kim watched as one of the men held up what looked like a police badge to the peephole, followed by a thug firing his shotgun through the door. She stood there aghast. It had all happened so fast, the feed from inside the suite now nothing but static. Like a horror film. Another shot took out the lock, the door kicked open. As they entered, another man aimed at the hallway camera, and took it out.

Now Kim was truly cut off. No way to see … or to know … what was happening.

 _Oh God! Shego?_ "Wa-Wade?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"Shotgun must have taken out the tv," Wade replied, his face visibly sweating. "And there's nothing else in the room for me to connect to."

 _I–I know she's fine_. She stepped back on wobbly legs and sat down, her face draining of color. _She has to be okay_. A cold dread filled her stomach. _Please be okay_.

 **~o0o~**

It's been awhile since I've given you all a properly dramatic ending, so 'you're welcome'.

I had a lot of fun laying the groundwork for the continuing story. Some of the plot points I'll build upon while others are just background material, but either way I'll be interested to see who picked up on what.

 **~o0o~**


	5. Repercussions

**~o0o~**

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and her name than rode upon it was Kim, and Hell followed with her.

~o~

The silvery-blue hovercraft hurtled earthwards, the glittering lights of nighttime Acapulco in its sights.

Kim sat alone in the craft, her eyes darting between the various monitors as she surveyed the hotel where Shego had been attacked. She appeared totally calm to the outside world, but in reality she was drowning in a sea of emotions. She had never been this distraught before, and it was just the tip of the iceberg for what was buried beneath the churning waters of her psyche. It brought with it something new, a path she had never taken but was now teetering along - the unmistakable urge to wantonly hurt someone. To make the thugs that had attacked Shego pay, and to do it up close and personal.

She half-listened to Wade as he kept her up to date on the situation, her replies and questions short and clipped.

 _I know she's alive!_ Kim thought. _She heals like super fast. I'll just swoop in and save her, and everything will be okay._ She refused to think about why the bad guys hadn't left the hotel as yet, her indomitable optimism holding those fears at bay. _Yeah, I'll make 'em regret ever attacking her!_

"Thirty seconds," Sadie announced.

Kim nodded and stood up, once again in her battlesuit. War was coming so she had dressed the part, and the enemy would never know what hit them. She cracked her knuckles, the city approaching impossibly fast in the dark. Luckily the pilot wasn't human and could handle just such a task.

"SWAT team's entering the hotel," Wade announced.

"Mhm," Kim acknowledged, her tone eerily quiet.

"It will take them a while to reach her floor."

"Good!" ' _Cause I want them all to myself!_

She ignored Wade's worried expression at her response, there was a mission to complete. There was a slight jolt as the invisible hovercraft came to a stop outside Shego's high-rise balcony, then she was diving forwards.

 _I'm coming, Shego!_

She landed, rolled, and smashed through the glass doors, ready to unleash her wrath.

 _Ohhh, crap!_

A part of her admonished her for the swear word, while the rest of her brain processed what she was seeing. It appeared the attackers hadn't stood a chance against Shego, even with the element of surprise. The flickering lights haphazardly illuminated the bullet-riddled room, the blood-soaked floor littered with over a dozen smoking, mutilated bodies, their severed limbs scattered all about the place.

 _Shego, what–_ She looked around at the human carnage, her face turning pale. _What have you done?_

Kim's skill set allowed her to break bone, which she invariably did while saving the world. Shego could do more with her Glow, and she had.

 _Gods, it's what I wanted to do to them_. She stood there aghast, her fear-induced rage just flowing from her. _Geez, I–I really was gonna– What was I thinking? I'm meant to be better than this_. She shivered at the realization of the path she had avoided. _Later. I can worry about it later. I need to find Shego._

She took a step, then another, making sure to avoid the blood dripping from the ceiling.

 _How could she?_

She took a deep, shuddering breath, then realized she could not fault Shego for defending herself in such a manner. Shego had been violently attacked in her place, her life in mortal danger, so it was only natural that she would respond in kind. It vividly reminded Kim that Shego wasn't a hero, that her possible girlfriend was a reformed villain and used to a life of violence and extremes.

 _And I still want to be with her. I–I don't think there's anything that she could do that I wouldn't forgive her for._

She took in more of the suite: the shredded furniture, the scorch marks, and the large holes blown through various walls. It was amazing that the sprinkler system hadn't gone off, thus creating even more of a mess.

 _I wish she hadn't of killed them_ …

On instinct she knelt by a body and checked it for a pulse, and started when she found one. She quickly checked another body then another, both still alive. She froze, not daring to breathe as a long-ago conversation with Shego came to mind.

 _"I'm a thief, Kimmie. I hired on with Drew to steal and act as bodyguard, not to kill. Forget what you know, it's just not who I am. Period!"_

 _She doesn't kill!_ Kim thought with elation.

She adjusted the HUD in her suit and all the bodies in the room came up with heat signatures, showing that they were still alive. A feeling of pride washed over her that Shego had shown restraint, even when facing certain death. And considering all the bullet holes and the damage done to the place, it was amazing that no one had been killed; another testament to Shego's phenomenal skills.

 _Deep down she's still a hero, and I'mma gonna help her find it again._ She glanced around the ruined suite. _But it doesn't mean she's not hurt, or that there aren't more of these guys._

"Wade?"

" _I'm seeing it_ …" Wade replied. _"Data's coming in now… Um, their members of a Mexican Drug Cartel… Wanted by the police… Interpol… And most are considered extremely dangerous."_

 _A Drug Cartel?_ She eyed a handcuffed individual, the man's situation standing out. _Why would they– Never mind. Find Shego first, worry about the 'why' later_. "Got it, Wade. Inform the police, as well as the paramedics."

" _Already on it."_

 _Now, let's find her._

She dug deep and pushed the grisly apartment out of her mind, took a step, and tensed up. Fists clenched tightly by her side, she slowly and with great reluctance looked down at the sticky, blood stained floor and the severed hand she was standing on.

"Ohh, ick!" she whispered in revulsion, her skin crawling at the sight. She yanked her foot away, the soft, squishy feel of the appendage not something she would soon forget.

 _She so owes me a drink at 'Kicks after this!_

With her dramatic entrance, the element of surprise was gone. Still, she did not call out for Shego as she began her search, that would be a rookie maneuver. She checked the entry hall first, relieved to find no evidence of Shego's blood, then she quickly and methodically checked the rest of the suite, no signs of anyone else.

 _She's– She's not here_ … After all the buildup it felt like she had been punched in the gut. _I–I don't know whether to laugh or cry. She's obviously alive, and hopefully unhurt, but she's not here. So what do I do now?_ The hero within told her to minister to the men's injuries. However, she had found on her reconnaissance that Shego had used her Glow to cauterize their wounds. So there was precious little that she could do for them right now.

 _Best to leave them in blissful unconsciousness until the paramedics arrived_.

She retreated into the master bedroom to think, the lack of any bloodshed in the room a far cry from the rest of the place.

 _Why can't I ever pin her down? She's such an annoying ghost who's always out of reach_. She wiped her eyes as she held back tears of frustration and relief. _Dang it! I'm not gonna cry like some angsty teen. I'm just tired and overwrought, that's all_ … _Focus on the why, it'll help_. She collapsed onto the end of the bed and lay back, staring at the ceiling. _Okay, she doesn't do mundane missions or drugs, so why on earth would the Cartel be after her? And how on earth did they find her in the first place? She was in disguise_ … She paused, then followed that train of thought. _Did she want to be found? A… trap? But If I'm right, then why_ –

She froze, her eyes widening as a distinctive aroma wafted past her nose. Rolling into her side she yanked the covers down, the unmistakable scent of Shego hitting her like a truck. An eager hand grabbed one of the big, fluffy pillows, and she held it tight, breathing in deep.

 _It's her! It's all her_.

It was an unique scent, slightly exotic, and one Kim had never been able to place anywhere else. It meant so much more to her after their one night together, and lying there she felt her heart beat faster as the smell triggered a rush of desire, excitement, and intimate memories.

 _Gawd, Shego, I've gotta stop thinking about you like this when I'm out on a mission_. "It's so not the time," she groaned out loud.

" _Kim, are you okay?"_ Wade promptly inquired.

 _What? Uh–_ "Ye-yeah, I'm fine." She shook her head to clear away the images, the heat in her face signifying a spectacular blush. _Faux is right, I need more than just… toys_. _I need her_. She sat up, then stood up, refusing to relinquish her hold on the pillow.

"Wade, I think the whole thing was a setup, by Shego."

" _A setup? That, sounds like her. Are you sure?"_

"Almost positive, and I know just who to ask."

She marched back outside and stood over the only handcuffed thug in the room, his situation an anomaly in the suite of horrors. She eyed him up and down, and apart from a bruise on his cheek he appeared unharmed.

 _She restrained you, and no one else. So if I'm right, and she was after something, then that makes you the target_.

She crouched down and took some smelling salts from her belt pouch, then cracked the vial under the man's nose. Its effects were almost instantaneous, his eyes flying open as he coughed a fit, turning his head away. When he looked back there was anger and fear in his eyes, but that all evaporated when he saw that it was Kim.

"It's okay, she's gone now," Kim said.

He sneered at her then rattled something off in Spanish as he strained against his bindings.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand," Kim said. "Do you speak any English?"

"Course I do, chica! I speak as good as you, my mom made sure of it. She's also proud of me, and all the money I donate to the church–" He descended back into Spanish, his tone definitely angry.

 _Okay, that was weird._

"Let me loose, hero girl!" he snarled, tugging at his bonds.

 _Course he knows me, everyone does_. "I can't free you, you're wanted by the police."

"Of course I'm wanted by the police! I'm a very bad man. I've killed dozens of people, and I like doing it. But let me go, and I'll make it worth your while. I've got thousands hidden away in secret bank accounts."

 _Typical criminal, always thinking that money solves everything_. She shook her head, then asked, "Tell me why you attacked Shego– The woman who was in this apartment."

"I was ordered to. And I also stole a yogurt from my sister's fridge this morning."

 _Um… okay?_ "Can you be more specific–"

"Specific? Well, I'm crazy about unicorns, and cry during romantic comedies. I love it when the boss's wife and I cuddle after sex, and that I dream about a threesome with Juan and Antonio."

Kim didn't know whose eyes were wider, hers or his. She tried to say something but stopped herself, not really knowing how to respond. The poor man's face had turned red with embarrassment, the veins popping out along his neck. She patted his arm in sympathy, no stranger for pining for what was out of reach.

 _Super weird_ , she thought. _Guess he's still a little punch drunk from the fight_. "Look…?"

"Carlos Francisco Redondo," he replied with a scowl.

"Well Carlos, can you please start from the beginning?" she asked, giving him a friendly smile. "With the bits involving Shego?" The look she received said 'no', and she was surprised when he started to talk anyways.

"We… caught her… snooping… around one of the our warehouse's, yesterday. Poking her nose into things that don't concern her. She ran away, but we found a business card that she'd dropped."

 _Ah, so that's how she suckered you into finding her_.

"Since Mr. Escudero is away in Bogotá, I was ordered to track her down and fuck her up–"

 _That name, why do I know that name?_

"–To show her that you don't mess with the Conquistador or his operations."

 _Of course! Mr. Escudero is the Conquistador, and he was in that Global Justice dossier of known super villains. But why is Shego messing about with him? She's out of the hero and villain game, isn't she?_

"We didn't know it was her, but it was too late. She was expectin' us. Waitin' for us. I was so scared that I couldn't run… I–I peed my pants. I was knocked out, and when I woke, she was standing over me. She wanted to know all about D."

"D, as in Diablo? The party drug?"

"Yeah, that's it. And she wanted to know all about the boss's base of operations." He clenched his jaw but continued talking. "She didn't seem to care that we handle all the distribution for 'D' in North America, not that anyone knows. It's a big secret. She seemed mostly Interested in where it comes from and who makes it for us, but all I could tell her was when the next shipment is due. Then she knocked me out."

 _Shego, what have you gotten yourself into?_ _And why?_ Kim thought. _I honestly have no idea what you're up to_. She stood up and walked away, giving herself a chance to think. _She and Drakken never had any involvement in the drug trade back in the day_. She drummed her fingers on her arm, stifling a yawn. _And then there's Diablo and it's silly name, 'cause apparently you have sex like a horny little devil after taking it._ She tilted her head, trying to remember more about the narcotic _. It… showed up about eight months ago, and was called Attraction for a while. I know that it removes all your inhibitions, overriding the reason centers of the brain. How it rewires all your stimuli into pleasurable ones. Pain becomes pleasure, pleasure becomes overwhelming, especially when interacting with someone else who's taken it._

She tried to picture a scenario where Shego would be involved with such a drug, but it felt like her brain was punching fog.

 _I so need some coffee, or sleep, and some time to think, but they're gonna have to wait since Carlos has been so helpful_ – She glanced over her shoulder at him. _Almost, too helpful_. "Wade, did you get all that?"

" _I did, and it's all recorded for the relevant authorities. A big win for the home team."_

"It was no big, but don't you think it was all a bit…"

" _Easy?"_

"Yeah," she replied. "When was the last time a career criminal just up and answered all my questions? Truthfully as well?"

" _Exactly? Well, never."_

"I know, right? There has to be something else at play here?" She tapped her chin as she looked at Carlos. _Did she do something to him?_ _He's certainly been acting weird, just like_ – "Wade, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

" _That she zapped him or drugged him or something?"_

"Uh-huh," she replied, nodding in agreement. "I know all of Drakken's old tech is safely stored at Area Fifty-Three, but I can't help but feel…"

" _Point taken. Aim your kimmunicator at him, and I'll check."_

She did so, and a blue beam ran up and down Carlos.

" _Hold on, it shouldn't take long… Yep, he's definitely been whammied by Drakken's Truth ray. I'm detecting the same brainwave inhibitors that you once exhibited."_

She shuddered at the recollection, one of the most embarrassing days of her life. She had been unable to lie, and had just blurted out all sorts of truths to whoever was near. Luckily, the ray's influence had only lasted about a twenty-four hours. The Truth ray, along with the rest of Dr. Drakken's mad science equipment had been shipped off to Area Fifty-Three by Global Justice. There they had a massive, subterranean, storage warehouse, one of the most secure facilities in the world.

 _And Shego still managed to sneak in and out without them noticing. Or… maybe they just never bothered to tell me?_

" _Kim, the SWAT team's on your floor, and moving down the hallway,"_ Wade suddenly announced.

 _Whoops, time to go._ "Thanks, Wade." _Not my situation to clean up for once, and I have a girlfriend to catch_.

She would normally never leave a crime scene, but this would be the second time today. In both situations, time was the deciding factor. She assuaged her guilt in what she had uncovered about The Conquistador and his links to Diablo. The authorities in the United States, Mexico, and other Latin American countries would likely to be busy for weeks or even months with the information.

"Carlos, where's your boss's base of operations?" she asked, pausing at the shattered balcony door.

She watched him try to withhold the information, but she knew all too well the power of the Truth ray.

~o0o~

Kim slowly exited the stairwell and walked out onto the Conquistador villa's rooftop, the sweeping nighttime vista of Mexico's hinterlands all around her. She sighed and slowly closed the door, her hand holding onto the handle as she turned visible. She did not want to let go, but eventually she walked away, the gravelly surface barely crunching under her soft tread.

 _There's no way to know if Shego was here or not_ , she thought, her head bowed and shoulders down. She paused and looked behind, her search of the sprawling residence coming up empty.

 _But I know she was_. "And I missed her, again…" she whispered.

She sighed and headed to where her invisible hovercraft was waiting, slowing until she had shuffled to a halt just short of her destination. It was tougher than she had imagined to just walk away from her only solid link to Shego in months.

 _Two steps, and Sadie will whisk me away_. She looked back the way she had come then to where her ride would be, indecision on her face.

 _I know that if I could just see her… Talk to her… That we could work things out._

Her foot scrapped on the gravelly surface as she turned to go back inside, to search again. To find something, anything that would help her locate Shego. Then with something close to pain on her face she vaulted up into the air, and into the hovercraft.

"Sadie, home please," she said, the disappointment evident in her voice.

" _Kim, I'm so sorry,"_ Wade said.

"You'll find her one day," Sadie chimed in.

"Thanks guys," Kim said as she lay down on the padded seat at the back, Shego's pillow held against her chest. "I know we will." _'Cause she can't hide forever._

She closed her eyes and snuggled into the pillow as they flew away, the image of flaming fists dancing behind her eyelids as she drifted off to sleep.

~o~

Across the valley and floating atop another hilltop an invisible pair of eyes watched Kim leap into the air and disappear from view.

 _What - the - fuck?_ Shego thought, her hovercraft's view screen now showing an empty rooftop. _How the hell did Kimmie find me_ – She rolled her eyes. _Well, doy! Seems that Nerdlinger is upping his game, so I'm going to have to up mine as well_.

She scrolled the image back and zoomed in, Kim now center frame, and reached out and ran her fingers across the image

 _She looks good. Really, really good_. The various web pages and news articles did not do Kim any justice, especially when she was strutting about in her battlesuit. _Has she been working out? I know it's been a while, but has she? I swear she's more– more filled out than I remember?_ She dragged her hands down her face. _Or am I just so horny that I'm seeing things?_

She slumped back in her seat, staring at the sky above.

 _One night with Kimmie and I'm completely screwed_. She snorted at her innuendo. _Would it be that bad if we talked, in person? Maybe just this once?_ She threw her arms up in annoyance. _Gah! Of course it would! She's my fuckin' kryptonite! See her from a distance, yes. Talk to her, no. And I don't care what Mom says! 'Cause I meant what 'I' said. I'm not going to risk her getting hurt_. "I… don't think I could live with myself if I did."

She looked back at the monitor as she used her foot to zoom in on the image even more, til it was just Kim's face on screen.

"I know you're not going to give up. That you're going to dog me til the end of time–"

She froze, a feeling of dread flowing through her.

 _Oh crap!_

She stood up and paced about as best she could in the cramped cockpit.

 _If she showed up here, then that means she was there, in Acapulco_. She grimaced. _So she saw what I did to those cartel idiots. The trap I set. How can she still be chasing me after seeing that?_ "I should call her and explain," she murmured, her hand reaching for her phone.

 _Or maybe I could_ …

She had dismissed this particular idea many times before, but this was a special occasion. Dropping into the pilot's seat, she pondered her solution from every angle.

 _Yeah, it'll do._

Plan in mind, it was time to move.

 _My chat with the Conquistador will have to wait, 'cause I'm not going to risk it with Kimmie around._

She brought up the hovercraft's navigational HUD, keyed in her destination, then engaged the autopilot, the hills of Mexico disappearing into the distance.

~o0o~

The silvery-blue hovercraft flew silently through the inky darkness of space, soaring over the world far below. It was traveling faster than any man made craft had a right to, unaffected by the tremendous stresses and strains of its journey, but that was the genius of mad science. Its metallic hull gleamed in the moonlight as it crossed into Colorado, a shooting star in the vastness of the night's sky. Its flight from Mexico had taken but a few minutes, and a couple of seconds later it was over Middleton. Inside, switches and dials moved of their own accord as it turned invisible then dipped sharply, heading straight towards a rocky mountainside. There was no fiery explosion as it hit, instead it passed through a holographic projection of the terrain and into one of the Omega lair's secret entrances.

Kim shifted in her sleep at the change in tone but did not wake, the grav-plating keeping everything smooth and stable within the cockpit.

Sadie piloted the hovercraft down the access tunnel, the shaft easily sixty feet wide and heavily angled. Twin staircases ran along the passage's sides, its well-lit and smooth stone walls covered in steel-ribbed gantries all the way down, as the craft descending deep into the mountain.

Arriving at the base of the tunnel, Sadie stopped the hovercraft before a massive, reinforced blast door. There was a soft beep from the console as the access codes were accepted, the door ponderously opening.

Sadie glided the craft into the well-lit hangar and stopped next to an empty docking bay, then she carefully backed over the landing pad. She brought the hovercraft over the heavy brackets in the bay, then cut the power, the cushioned shock absorbers flexing as they took the full weight of the vehicle.

Sadie materialized next to Kim, and said, "Kim, we're home."

"Mhm…" Kim murmured.

"I know you're tired, but you'll be much happier in your own bed."

"I'm awake… I'm awake…" Kim mumbled as she cracked open a vacant staring eye, clearly not awake as yet.

A power nap normally did her a world of good, this one had not. It told Sadie in no uncertain terms how tired and worn out Kim truly was. Kim half-sat up, still in her battlesuit, and blearily stared around the cockpit with the pillow in her arms. She yawned, her eyes drooping shut as she began to lie back down.

Sadie looked at Kim with fondness then shook her head with regret, a red button flashing on the console. The hermetic forcefield around the cockpit disappeared, the cold air of the hangar flooding the cabin.

"Sadie!" Kim yelped, her eyes snapping open.

"Bed!" Sadie stated, her arms crossed. "I warned you last time that I wouldn't let you sleep in here again."

"I know, I know," Kim grumbled. "S'not fair, though!" _Stupid hangar, and needing to be kept colder than the rest of the base_.

She was too exhausted to complain anymore, so she poked her tongue out, and sat up. She opened her duffel bag then set about stuffing everything inside, even Dr. Steel's gauntlets. She slung the bag over her shoulder, grabbed the pillow, then stepped up on the rim of the hovercraft and dropped to the floor below.

Even this drowsy she landed as lithe as a cat, the exertion helping her tired brain.

 _Sadie's right, I'll be much happier in my own bed_ , Kim thought. _And, darn it, she was just looking out for me. I shouldn't have been so cranky with her_. She looked back up at the docked hovercraft, a glass screen slowly descending in front of it. "I'm sorry for being so grumpy, Sadie. And thank you for everything," she called out.

"You're always welcome," Sadie replied, her voice echoing down from above.

Kim watched the glass screen click into place, and the sealed alcove immediately fill with high-pressure steam, all part of the automatic cleaning process. Kimmie the AI had amusingly referred to this particular hovercraft as the Liberace hovercraft, and the name had just stuck. It was larger than Drakken's normal designs, as it incorporated some of his best ideas. Amazingly, it was Shego who had put it together, but in her absence Kim had requisitioned it for Sadie.

Kim gave a playful salute to her unseen pilot, adjusted the bag over her shoulder, and headed for the lifts. She had no idea what time it was, and it truly did not matter. She was collapsing into bed as soon as she got home, already planning on switching her kimmunicator to silent.

 _I need sleep, a week's worth if I can. So if the world's not comin' to an end, then I don't wanna know about it._

She barely paid attention to the massive hangar around her and the various tarpaulin covered vehicles sitting silently in their bays. The whole area was vastly different to how she had originally seen it those many months ago. Gone were the simple stone walls and dingy lighting, replaced by polished, shiny walls, bright, friendly lights, and splashes of vibrant color all over the place. She had initially worried about the power consumption, but Kimmie had told her that properly lighting the whole base was nothing compared to activating a second hard-light AI.

 _And I had to go and do that, didn't I_ … Kim thought, with some chagrin.

She exited the hangar and walked down one of the many well-lit corridors of the lair, the smooth stone passageway occasionally punctuated by the recessed blast doors that every base needed. Unlike a normal lair though, the floor was covered by a thick navy blue carpet, the walls dotted with paintings, and the various side tables along the hallway displaying colorful flowers. No villain worth his salt would be caught dead in such a place, but that was because it was no longer a lair … now it was so much more.

Kim stopped at the lift with her finger poised over the call button, then quietly said, "Acapulco was a bust."

It was spoken to the empty air, and there was no reply, but she knew she had been heard.

~o~

Kim stepped out of the lift and into another corridor, though this one had a nice sea green carpet and paintings of tropical islands along the walls. She glanced right, along the hallway, and at the reinforced blast door at its end, then turned left and walked towards another blast door at the other end. As she neared the huge door the yellow warning lights around its edges began to silently flash, followed by the clank and groan of hidden machinery.

 _So tired_ …

She stood there as the heavy steel door ponderously, almost silently opened, no longer impressed by its almost ten feet of reinforced titanium. It finally ground to a halt, and she walked forwards.

It was pitch dark inside after the brightly lit corridor, but she knew her way through off by heart. She ignored the door shutting behind, a happy smile crossing her lips as she looked around at the dim outline of palm covered sand dunes under a starry sky, pale moonlight filtering through the thick canopy. It was all a mixture of Drakken's hard-light technology, holograms, and real life all woven together to perfectly simulate reality.

 _Home_.

A waxing moon was visible through the palm fronds, along with a sky full of twinkling stars. A glint of water could be seen between the trees, and wafting through the palms was a gentle breeze, carrying with it the sound of waves lapping at a seashore. The phantom night was pleasantly warm and quiet, with only the occasional faint cry of a gull in the distance or the chirp of a lonely cricket singing out to accompany the waves.

She walked forwards, her pace increasing as a beach house became visible.

This was her home, her tropical hideaway, and it was all hers, far from the prying eyes of the press and the public. And safe, too. She no longer had to worry about her family's place being caught in the crossfire or her parents and brothers being put in danger, all because of her. That it was designed around what Shego liked was entirely on purpose, and she could not wait to show it off to her.

 _I know I've only been away for a week, but it feels so much longer._

She trotted up the small flight of steps and onto a large, enclosed deck, a distant flash of lightning highlighting the beach behind her. She turned and eyed the impressive clouds on the horizon, knowing that somewhere out in the Pacific there was just such a storm.

 _Beautiful._

She closed her eyes as the faint sound of thunder rolled over her, the relaxing sound doing more than any massage.

 _It's gonna pass me by, but_ …

She glanced at a hammock hanging over the deck, then at the bag over her shoulder. Food, shower, teeth, and pajamas were all in her thoughts as she stood there, yet it was almost a no-brainer. She unlocked her door and walked inside, dropping her duffel bag onto the couch, then switching her kimmunicator to silent. Grabbing a bed sheet that was already on the sofa, she trotted back outside and crawled into the hammock. She burrowed under the covering and curled up with her Shego scented pillow, a happy sigh escaping her lips at the sound of more thunder.

 _Perfect_ , she thought. Closing her eyes, she whispered, "Kilo-India-Mike, One-One-Zero-Zero-Six, Pandaroo."

She tingled all over as her battlesuit retracted into a bracelet that formed over her wrist, picturing the sensations as the touches of a lover … of Shego. She snuggled deeper into her pillow, her sleepy thoughts drifting to her favorite fantasy: of her and Shego fighting the good fight in one of Drakken's lair's. However, in the end, instead of Shego chaining her to a wall to gloat, they ended up in Shego's bedroom, with Kim bound to the bed as Shego had her wicked, wanton way with her … over and over and over again.

~o~

A fresh breeze ruffled the palm fronds as the storm passed by, but Kim was fast asleep by then.

Inside, her kimmunicator lit up with a message, but it went unseen and unheard.

~o0o~

A familiar, whistling tune drifted through the palm trees of Kim's tropical paradise, stopping as its bearer spotted the dark and silent beach house. It pondered the situation as it twirled an envelope between its finger, then it silently walked onto the veranda and looked down at Kim, frowning. There was a sigh and the rolling of eyes before a pair of pale green arms gently picked the sleeping beauty up, sheet and all, and carried Kim inside.

"Shego…" Kim murmured in her sleep.

She relaxed as calming words were whispered in her ear, and then she was gently tucked into bed. In the process, she wrapped her fingers around her visitor's wrist, refusing to let go. There was a huff and some silent grumbling from her companion, then her Prince Charming slipped under the covers and curled up behind her.

~o0o~

It was a wonderful, waking dream for Kim, and not her first, to picture Shego in bed with her. The how and why never mattered, all that was important was that Shego was here. Eyes closed, she ground against her dream girl, whimpers of frustration and need escaping her lips. She ran a hand along that sensuous body, tender skin and soft breasts greeting her questing fingers, before they inched their way lower.

"Keep this up, and I'll think you're actually interested," a familiar voice rumbled by Kim's ear.

Kim's eyes snapped open as she spun to look at her bed buddy. For a split-second she thought it was Shego, her heart soaring, but then she spotted the tell-tale, infinitesimal differences on that pale green face. She turned beet red as she realized they were both in bed, together, stark naked and pressed up against each other, and that her hand was intimately situated between her companion's thighs.

"Sheridan!" Kim yelped as she desperately scrambled away. She ended up falling out of bed, dragging the sheet with her. Covering herself as best she could, she brushed the hair out of her eyes and looked up.

"You really are frustrated when you wake," Sheridan stated as she levered herself up on an elbow. She lay there unconcerned with her nakedness as she looked down at Kim, her statuesque body on display.

 _Oh, geez! Oh, geez! Oh, geez! Why do these things always happen to me?_ Kim thought as she tried not to look at the hard-light AI _…_ her traitorous eyes had other ideas. _Why'd I have to make her so gosh darn perfect?_

"Seems you're still way too stressed," Sheridan drawled. She leaned over and opened a drawer, and pulled out Kim's favorite vibrator. "Even with your enthusiastic morning and nighttime activities."

 _What?! How– How does she even know?_ Right now it did not matter. Sheridan knew, and Kim's embarrassment became all encompassing. Even her toes poking out from under the sheet turned a blushing red.

"Kimberly is worried about you," Sheridan stated. She pointed the sex toy at Kim. "So let me help you with that, so she shuts up about it."

 _Oh my god?!_ "No!"

"Your loss," Sheridan said, tossing the vibrator aside. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. "Is there something else in your toy box of fun that you'd like to try?"

 _This can't be happening?_ Kim thought, desperately shaking her head. She scooted away across the floor until she bumped into the wall, nowhere else to go. "Kimberly. Avatar!" she called out, but no hard-light version of herself appeared.

"Did you bump your head when you fell?" Sheridan asked, advancing. "You know that doesn't work in here. You specifically asked for it not too."

"I know, but–" She swallowed, regrouping. "Can you please put some clothes on? And can we please stop talking about my sex life?" _Or lack thereof_.

"Oh, stop being such a prude!"

"Hey! I am not a prude!"

"Really?"

She gave Kim a withering look of disbelief, then quick as a snake she grabbed the edge of the sheet and pulled Kim to her feet. Kim almost panicked and called her battlesuit into play, but reason prevailed. The suit was for real emergencies, not embarrassing ones. Plus activating it would alert Wade, and this was not a conversion she wished to explain to him. She twisted herself free and backed away, a death grip on her cotton shield.

"Clothes, please?" Kim begged.

"Done!" Sheridan said.

Kim breathed in a sigh of relief, her guest now in a dark green top, black jeans, and biker boots. She knew the outfit well, it was one that Sheridan wore most of the time.

"Thank you," Kim said.

"Whatever," Sheridan snorted.

"So, um… why _are_ you here?" _And in bed with me?_

"Letters from Wade," Sheridan replied, gesturing with her thumb at two envelopes on the floor. "And since you've been away for a week, and have had plenty of sleep, you need to drop in and see your mom."

"Mom's home?"

"Well, doy! What'd I just say?"

"She's normally at work."

"It's Saturday."

"Oh…"

"Good comeback, you doofus. Well, I'll tell Kimberly that we're on our way." She turned and walked out of the room. "So hurry up and get dressed, or I'm coming back in there to drag you over," she called out.

Kim slumped against the wall, head on her knees as she recovered from her unexpected waking.

 _Why do my friends always wanna help me with my sex life? At least Monique hasn't_ – She thought about that. _Well, at least she hasn't tried sleeping with me. I'm monogamous. Well, I will be, once I start dating Shego. So, I guess, I'm monogamous in training? Yeah, that's the ticket._

She stooped down and picked up the letters, her name handwritten on both their fronts, and return address of Italy and Scotland on their backs.

 _They're prob just some special fan mail, but they'll have to wait. 'Cause I bet Sheridan's just itching to burst back in here and embarrass me some more_.

She tossed the letters onto the bed and went to drop her sheet, then paused. Quickly walking over to her door, she closed it, and with another thought, locked it.

~o~

Kim stepped out of her holosuite and into the Omega Lair's hallway to find Sheridan leaning against the wall and filing her nails. How that worked with a hard-light projection Kim did not know, but it was such a classic Shego pose that it sent a wave of nostalgia rushing through her. Life had been so much simpler back then. Just a hero saving the world from a not-so-beastly villain. No aliens, or invasions, or world altering computer viruses. Not even any properly evil villains until after the Lorwardians.

"'Bout time," Sheridan muttered, without looking up. She tossed her nail file aside, the small implement disappearing in mid-air.

Then, beside Kim, a hand's breadth away, Kimberly the AI appeared.

Kim smiled at her doppelgänger, or Kimberly as she now called herself, the first hard-light AI in existence. It was through her that Kim had found out that the Omega Lair could support a second hard-light persona. Kimberly and Wade had warned her against bringing a second online, but neither had categorically said no. Kim had wrestled with the complex and moralistic questions involved in such an undertaking, but in the end she had chosen to go ahead. She rationalized that it would give Kimberley someone to interact with. Plus, deep down, Shego had done it to her, so it was only fair that she return the favor. So Sheridan had been born. Unfortunately, Sheridan's personality was not what Kim had expected, and she was still getting used to the newest member of their group.

Kim gave Kimberly a hug, though the AI's appearance was no longer quite as similar as it had once been. Kimberly still had a slim yet athletic build, well-tanned skin, and olive green eyes, but she now sported a shorter, off the shoulder hairstyle, complimented by a vibrant black and green streak running down one side of her fringe. She was decked out in a variation of Kim's mission gear of a short-sleeved, purple shirt, black pants with a purple line down the sides, and sturdy combat boots.

"Welcome home, stranger," Kimberly said, as soon as they parted.

"Yeah, it's good to be back," Kim replied. After a week away with barely any change of clothes, she was enjoying the freedom of shorts, a loose t-shirt, and bare feet.

"Lookin' pretty relaxed too." She raised a questioning eyebrow at Sheridan. "Did you two…?"

"I offered, she said no," Sheridan replied.

 _Um…_ Kim thought. _That sexy wake up wasn't an accident?_

"Maybe it's time for Plan B?" Kimberly muttered.

"I still say we go for the Scorched Earth intervention?" Sheridan said.

 _Plan B? Scorched Earth?_ Kim thought. "Guys, I'm right here."

They both glanced her, then went back to ignoring her as they continued to talk about her.

"Hey, I'm not a little girl," Kim said, stamping her foot. "Can you please stop interfering in my love life?"

"No," they both replied in unison.

Kim opened and closed her mouth as she tried to find an argument to help her case. Faux was bad enough, but now her single status was affecting her home life.

 _What if Mom finds out what they're doing? Or… Oh? Oh, geez! What if Dad does?_

"C'mon, your mom's waiting," Kimberly said as she linked her arm with Kim's.

Kim fell into step with Kimberly, while Sheridan silently walked beside them. Halfway along the corridor the lift chimed in arrival, and Sadie stepped out in her android body.

With the lair unable to handle another hard-light AI, the easiest solution was a robot body. Between Wade, Dr. Vivian Porter, and Monique a suitable chassis had been created, which Sadie used whenever she wanted to move about the base. The idea had proved so popular that Wade and Co. were in the process of building two more android bodies, one for Kimberly and one for Sheridan. They would give them the freedom to leave the base, no longer restricted by the lair's holo-emitters.

Kim smiled at Sadie as she fell in step with the three of them.

"Again, sorry about last night," Kim said. "My own bed was so much comfier than the backseat of the Liberace."

"Girl, you were tired and upset, there's nothing to be sorry about," Sadie replied.

The accepted apology did Kim a world of good, then her senses tingled as Sheridan moved in-behind her. She glanced at Sheridan, Sadie, and Kimberly, then at the approaching blast door. Suddenly the entrance to her parents' place didn't seem so welcoming.

 _Something's off?_ Kim thought. _Why are they all here? This is like totally suspicious?_ _Maybe I better–_ She shook her head and dismissed her worries. _Geez, I'm being like totally paranoid and stuff_. _I've got bad guys on the brain_.

She passed through the doorway without incident, arriving in an empty room. Two windows let it twin rays of sunlight, while a plain wooden door provided the only other exit. She looked down as her arm was released, Kimberly stepping back out into the corridor with Sheridan and Sadie.

"Guys?" Kim said.

"Family talk time," Kimberly replied as way of explanation. She pointed her finger at the open door and lowered her hand, the blast door coming down.

"Ciao, Kim," Sheridan said, smirking. "You're in so much trouble."

"Sorry about the subterfuge, Kim," Sadie said as the door shut.

"Ha, ha, very funny. Now open up and explain?" Kim called out.

There was no reply.

She grumbled and stomped back over to the door, but it failed to open. She waved her arms in front of the sensors, but there was no reaction. The emergency override switch did not work either. Reaching for her kimmunicator, she realized it was back at home on the couch.

"Ooh," she grumbled, jabbing a finger at the steel door. _It's so not fair that they ganged up on me like that! They're making a mountain out of a molehill that I haven't been home in a while! Mom understands, she always has. It's no big_.

She turned and walked away and out the other door, and onto the front porch of a suburban house.

 _I really can't believe that this is my life. That I live on a simulated island, and that my parents live in a simulation of our neighborhood._

Around her, and perfectly recreated within the Omega Lair, was her home suburb, and there, right across the street from her, was her parents' house.

 _I can't thank Kimberley enough for doing all this, agreeing to house Mom, Dad, and the Tweebs until it was safe for them to move back home. And that she went above and beyond, and actually built them their own holosuite._ She admired the hills in the distance and the sun in the sky as she headed across the street. _I know it's mostly fake, apart from our house and yard, and a bit around the edges, but it's still all so gosh darn amazing_.

She reached for the door handle.

 _Really, what can't this place do?_

~o~

Kim quietly closed the front door behind her, the entryway of her parents' house just so picture perfect. She rested against the wooden frame as she soaked in the atmosphere, just happy to be home.

 _No matter the villain, the mission, or the day I've had, everything feels right when I come home_. She tilted her head, frowning. _Sheridan has to be wrong? There's no way my mom would be upset with me? Not for being away for a week_. She gnawed on her lip. _But what if I'm wrong? No, I can't be… Can I? Argh! This is gettin' me nowhere_. She pushed off the door and headed down the hallway.

"Mom, I'm home," she called out, though the wonderful aroma in the air led her towards the kitchen.

"Kim?" Mrs. Possible replied, her happy tone echoing down the hallway.

Kim walked into the warm and welcoming feel of the kitchen to find her mom sliding a tray into the oven. She grinned at the cute cat motifs on her mom's apron and oven mitts, a house warming gift from Kimberly.

"What's cookin', Doc?" Kim asked.

"Brownies." Mrs. Possible replied, standing up.

 _Yum_ , she thought as she was greeted with a motherly hug of affection.

"How's my little girl?" Mrs. Possible asked, stepping back.

"I'm good. Really, really good," Kim replied. "I think I slept for over a day, and boy was it needed."

"Mhm," Mrs. Possible said, a glint in her eyes. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked, waving for Kim to sit.

"Ooh, please and thank you. I missed breakfast." She caught the look from her mom as she sat at the table. "I only just woke up, and Sheridan rushed me over before I could eat anything."

"I see."

"And, um… I'm so sorry for being away and everything."

"Why are you sorry?" Mrs. Possible asked as she poured them both a cup of coffee.

 _Oh?_ "I was given the impression that you were upset with me?"

"That'll be Sheridan, I guess?"

"Yeah, mostly."

"She does like the dramatic, but I could never be upset with you over that. You're a grown woman, after all. In fact, your father and I are immensely proud of everything you do for those in need–"

 _Phew!_

"–But, we do need to talk about this worrisome attitude of yours while you go about it."

 _Uh-oh!_

Kim shifted uncomfortable as her mom sat down opposite her, a drink placed in front of her.

"Did you really let a building fall on you just so you could see if your battlesuit worked?" Mrs. Possible asked.

 _Oh geez! I forgot all about that!_ She stared at the cup in her hands, seeing no way out. _This is sooo the drama!_ She took a sip of her drink, her throat desperately dry as she tried to find the right words. _I've faced down aliens and killer robots, so how hard can it be to explain?_ Unfortunately, no situation could compare to this. It was the one thing she could never handle - an upset parent.

"I… ah, yeah. I sorta did," Kim mumbled.

"Oh, Kimmie," Mrs. Possible said, sadly. "You never used to be so reckless." She offered out a hand, and Kim took it. "What's really troubling you?"

That her mom had asked her for the root of the problem instead of berating her for her recklessness signified the closeness of their relationship. Kim knew exactly where her issues stemmed from. It wasn't a secret. But she had kept to herself just how much it was affecting her.

"It's Shego," Kim said, dropping her head.

~o~

Kim leaned back into the lounge sofa as she mulled over everything she and her mom had discussed over the last hour or so. She hadn't realised how much stuff she had been bottling up over the last few months, and it had just come pouring out. She smiled at how patient her mom had been, as she had rambled on and on about every little thing she could think of. And during it all, her mom had laid out some maternal wisdom for her daughter.

 _Don't ambush Shego with what I want for us. Allow her to make the first move. And don't force the relationship, or I'll push her away_. It went against everything she had been planning, but it also made a lot of sense. _Yeah, if someone came at me like I'm doing… I'd rebel. Mom's right, I see a problem and I attack it head on. Shego ran, so I chased. I never even considered that she might need some time or space_.

She listened to her mom in the kitchen, then went back to her musings.

 _If you really, really like someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours. So I'm going to take Mom's advice when I find Shego, and no dinners, movies, or asking her out. It'll be hard, but I can do it_. She blushed even though she was alone. _Then nature can take its course_.

"Here we go," Mrs. Possible announced as she walked back into the room, a tray full of food and drinks in her hands.

"Mom, you were so right about everything," Kim said, sitting up.

"I like to think we mothers are," Mrs. Possible replied.

They both laughed, then helped themselves to the freshly made sandwiches and juice, brownies for dessert. Kim's empty stomach growled in anticipation, and she devoured her first sandwich with gusto. She was well into her second before she slowed down, leaning back with a happy sigh.

 _Saving people and skipping meals do not go hand in hand_ , she thought.

"Kim, with what you told me about these men who attacked Shego, and what you wanted to do to them, I'm worried that I'm losing my little girl?"

"It scared me too, Mom."

"Would you be… willing to see someone about it?"

 _Oh?_ Kim thought, pausing in mid bite. She put down her sandwich and looked at her mom. "You mean like a therapist?"

"Yes, a psychologist. You travel all over the world and fight these clearly unhinged villains, it can't be good for you. I know I'll never truly understand what you go through, but your Dad and I are worried about you."

"I'm fine, really. I was just having a bad day–"

"Months," Mrs. Possible interjected.

"Yeah, months," Kim reluctantly whispered. _She's right, but a therapist? Wade's mentioned it a few times, but still…_

"I have one in mind. She's very, very good, and here in Middleton."

 _She has one in mind, already?_ "But talking with you has always been good enough for me."

"I know, but it's obviously not enough anymore. How about a compromise, then? See her for one session, and then it's up to you if you want to keep going?"

"That… sounds reasonable." _Wake up, have lunch with Mom, and get bundled off to a shrink. Ron was right, I can do anything, even need help_.

"Oh, and Kim, one more thing," Mrs. Possible said.

~o~

 _I can't believe that Mom grounded me!_ Kim thought as she trudged back to her place.

 _It was one little building, and I knew I'd be fine. Well, pretty sure_. She threw her hands into the air. _It's so an overreaction._ She vigorously kicked an imaginary rock out of her way. _I bet Shego doesn't have to worry about being grounded, and psychiatrist's, and stuff_.

~o0o~

"What do you mean I'm grounded?!" Shego yelled as she walked into her villa's kitchen.

"You heard me," Mrs. Go replied as she continued to cook breakfast.

Shego stood there in just an overly large t-shirt, hair disheveled from just waking, and glared at her mother's back. It achieved nothing. She stomped over to the central counter and slammed her hands onto its top.

"Explain!" Shego growled.

"Oh Firefly, do I really need to?"

"Yes! Yes you–" She swallowed down a swear word. "Yes, you do!"

Mrs. Go did not immediately reply, instead she served up some bacon and eggs in front of Shego, then pushed the plate towards her. It was her mother's calm demeanor that riled Shego up the most, but it was also a warning sign. She ground her teeth as a juice was poured, the sound of the glass coming down on the marble counter quite loud in the silence between them.

"Well, firstly, you said you'd call if you we're going to be late coming home," Mrs. Go said, crossing her arms over her chest.

 _Fuck!_ "I was busy, and forgot," Shego said.

"And that you would stop drinking so much."

"I had my reasons." She glanced at the empty scotch bottles by the bin. _Kimmie reasons_.

"And that you'd never miss a doctor's appointment."

"Again, reasons–"

"Not good enough, Firefly. Now, I've made you a new appointment for next week. So until then, you're grounded."

Shego ignored the wonderful smells coming from her plate and the hungry growls from her stomach, they could wait.

"You know I could make you–" Shego started to say.

"Ut!" Mrs. Go said, holding up a finger, her expression turning serious. "If you finish that sentence, you know what's in store for you?"

Shego grumbled something unintelligible under her breath, then stormed outside and sat at one of the covered tables by the pool. It was another perfect day in paradise but she saw no reason to enjoy it. Being restricted and being told what to do pushed all her buttons, and she sneered at the brilliantly blue sky.

 _I bet Kimmie doesn't have to deal with this shit_.

~o0o~

 _I still can't believe Mom grounded me!_ Kim thought as she trudged into her holosuite. _Kimberly, Wade, they all knew, and they all ganged up on me_. _It's so not fair!_

She walked through the forest of palm trees between the entrance to her suite and her beach house, the warm sun shining down. She ended up on the shore with the waves lapping at her feet, staring out to sea, deep in thought. After a while she slipped a hand into her pocket and pulled out a business card.

 _Dr. Jill Erikson, Psychologist._ She twirled the card between her fingers. _That Mom was so worried that she looked up someone for me_ … She sighed and dug her toes into the sand, and murmured, "I don't wanna see anyone, but I will." _'Cause I won't let you down, Mom_.

She didn't know how long she stood there, but she tilted her head as she heard approaching footsteps from behind. She had a brilliant, analytical mind and an ear trained for the minutest of details. She knew the sound of her family's footsteps, the extra heavy ones of Sadie, and the light, all too personal tread of Kimberly. Which left…

"Having a good mope?" Sheridan asked, walking into view.

"Not in tha mood," Kim replied.

"Don't care."

"I really would like to be alone."

"Tough! You got blindsided, so you need the company."

It was like an apology, and it helped Kim's mood. "Did Kimberly send you…?"

"Nah, she's off running a full system diagnostic. So I thought I better come down here before she badgered me too."

 _She's not my Shego, but there's enough in there that she cares. She'll never admit it, though_. She brushed her hair back behind an ear and stepped closer. "I thought I was, you know, grounded?"

"Meh. It's grounded, not solitary. Besides, rules are for losers."

 _Yep, she's all gooey inside, just like Shego_.

Standing there together she felt her spirits rise. It felt good, and she embraced the feeling. She raised an eyebrow as Sheridan's attire changed into a black and green, one-piece swimsuit; nothing sexy or provocative, just functional. A beach umbrella materialized in one of Sheridan's hand's, and she unfurled it and stuck it in the sand, then a chair appeared, which she collapsed into, a pair of sunglasses now on her face.

"I'll take a Mai Tai, waiter," Sheridan said, waving a hand at Kim. "Now chop-chop, off you go, and don't skimp on the rum."

 _She's right, company is better_ , Kim thought, rolling her eyes in amusement. _Still, she's not allowed to make things just appear in here_. "That's all a bit cheaty, isn't it?"

"Deal with it," Sheridan replied, crossing her arms behind her head as she stretched her legs, a smirk upon her lips.

 _Oh, I'll deal with it alright_.

Kim took a few steps into the ocean, cupped her hands full of water, and tossed it all over Sheridan. The resounding yell of shock and surprise was music to Kim's ears, and she let out a shriek of merriment as Sheridan leapt out of her chair and charged at her.

 _Totally worth it!_

Combat. Adrenalin. Excitement. She loved them. Even if it was a mock battle, against a mock Shego, on a mock island.

~o~

Kim walked onto her beach house's deck with a massive grin on her face even though she was completely drenched from head to toe.

 _That was sooo much fun._

She wrung out her hair, then stepped inside, heading for the master bedroom. A shower and a change of attire was in order, as unlike Sheridan, she couldn't just will fresh clothes into existence. She hung a right and entered her room, the whole motif of her house designed with a balinese feel in mind. A low set, king-size bed dominated her bedroom, while various shelves along the walls held the entire Kim and Shego toy line from Chez Shégo. She knew it was a bit weird having collectibles of herself, but they had all been sent to her, and it felt wrong not having the whole set on display.

She moved the letters to her bedside table, and grabbed a change of attire, then heading for the bathroom with clothes in hand.

 _Note to self: have another talk with Kimberly about what can and cannot be done in my holosuite_.

She took her time in the shower, as her hair needed a good and proper wash after yesterday's battle. She found herself humming the Oh Boyz' latest hit as she went about her ablutions, her mood much improved after her tussle with Sheridan. Clean and washed, she exited the bathroom, and eyed the two letters.

 _Well, I've got a week of lounging about to contend with, may as well see what Wade sent me_.

She opened the envelope from Italy and unfolded the crisp white letter within, and began to read.

 _Oh?_

She stepped back with wide eyes and sat down heavily on the end of the bed, a hand across her mouth.

 **~o0o~**

Right, I think that's Kim all caught up in the current storyline. Last chapter and this ended up being the Kim centric chapter I promised oh-so-long ago, and as you can see, I had a lot to say.

As for that biblical opening, I found dozens of variations based around that saying. I chose one that fit my purposes, and then paraphrased away.

Because 'Home is where the heart is' was a while ago and such a long story, I'm making sure that I reintroduce various elements as they show up in its sequel. The Liberace hovercraft and the Omega Lair are perfect examples of this. Plus, more of those long forgotten plot points I started years ago, like: Attraction(Diablo), Shego following clues, and the second hard-light AI.

After all, everything is connected.

~o0o~


	6. Surprise

**~o0o~**

Sunlight filtered through Kim's bedroom as she silently read the letter Wade had sent her. She reached the end then instantly reread it, not believing her eyes or her rapidly beating heart at the moment.

Dear Kim,

The Go Household and family are celebrating Sheridan Go's birthday on July the 28th at our estate in San Siro, Lake Como, Italy. We would love it if you could attend as a surprise for Sheridan. If you would like to stay for the week, please RSVP at your earliest convenience.

Margaret & Alan Sacks

 _Shego… Birthday… Italy_ … Kim thought, her mind spinning at the possibilities. _Mom was right, I just needed to be patient_. She rolled across the bed and picked up the landline, but found the connection dead.

 _Ah yeah, Kimberly's doing maintenance. Kimmunicator?_ She looked around then snapped her fingers. _Out on tha couch!_ She leapt to her feet and raced to the lounge, grabbing her kimmunicator.

 _What's this?_

There on the screen of her kimmunicator was the picture she had taken of herself and Shego on the island those many months ago. She had the exact same photo framed and on her mantelpiece. However, this particular image told her that Shego had tried to contact her during the night.

 _She messaged me! She actually messaged me, and I missed it! Why am I just standing here? Read it, you doofus!_

'Shego: hey'

It was short and simple, but Kim did not care. It was contact.

 _Of all the nights to switch my kimmunicator to silent. Quick, message her back!_

'Kim: hey yourself'

She waited patiently for a reply, but eventually gave up after a few minutes of staring at an unresponsive screen.

 _She's probably super busy or somethin_ g, she thought. "But at least we're talking." She looked up the Sacks' contact information – Shego's adoptive family – and dialed.

Nothing happened.

 _Hm?_

She double checked the number, and tried again.

Silence.

She looked down as her kimmunicator vibrated, a popup saying that her message had failed to send.

 _He wouldn't?_ She glared at the unresponsive device. _He did! Wade actually cut me off because I'm grounded!_ She glanced up the hallway towards her bedroom. _And I bet that's why the landline isn't working either!_ She stuffed the letter and the kimmunicator into her pocket and marched for the door.

 _Well, two can play at this game!_

She wrenched open the front door and stopped, Sheridan standing in front of her.

"Going somewhere?" Sheridan asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

"Sure am," Kim replied, stepping forwards.

"No, I don't think so," Sheridan said, an arm shooting out to block Kim.

"And why's that?"

"You're grounded. So no running off to your mom's place to use the phone."

 _Geez, who went and made her my jailor?_ "Look, this is important!"

"I'm sure you think so," Sheridan replied, not moving. "And that being grounded interferes with your social life. Well, too bad! Just sit back and relax, and enjoy your week off."

 _Yeah, no. I don't think so_. "I think I'll let mom have the final say about that."

"Won't work. She's gone shopping."

Kim could see they were at a stalemate unless she was willing to escalate things, and she really did not want to ruin her living room right now. She glanced sideways then turned and ran, diving through an open window. She rolled and came up running, Sheridan a few steps behind. Fleeing from an armed opponent was always a risky move, even more so when they were a copy of a living weapon. Kim threw herself to the side just as a glowing ball of green light flashed through where she had just been, and she came up facing Sheridan.

 _She's taking the whole good cop, bad cop thing a bit too far_ , Kim thought as she took in the excited look in Sheridan's face. "Who made you my jailor?"

"I'm just enforcin' tha rules, and keepin' you safe," Sheridan replied, a little too much joy in her voice.

"Look, this is silly. Just let me pass. You know I'll get through in the end?"

"Ohhh, Kim, of course you won't!" She changed her stance and gestured for Kim to come at her. "I can beat you without even laying a hand on you."

 _No way?_ She balled her fists, looking for a way around. _As much as I'd like to make her eat those words, I have a phone call to make._ "Not happening!"

"I love it when you play hard to get!"

 _Oh?_ _Did she… just flirt with me?_ Distracted, she barely dodged a glowing fist. The next blow came even closer as she leaped back. "It's Shego!" she yelled, pulling the letter out and waving it in Sheridan's face.

Sheridan instantly stopped her attacks and stepped forwards, and snatched the piece of paper from Kim's hand. She read it then looked at Kim, an indecipherable expression on her face.

"This is only a few weeks away," Sheridan stated.

"I know," Kim stated.

"You need to reply."

"I know!" Kim exclaimed, her exasperation coming out. She relaxed now that they were on the same page. _Yeah, shoulda led with 'it's Shego'_. "Could you, like, turn the phones back on?"

"I could. I won't." She held up a finger as she stared off into the distance. "There. Done. I've informed Wade of the situation." She chuckled as she handed the letter back to Kim. "Seems you were stressing over nothing. He's already passed on your intention to stay, and you'll be leaving on the nineteenth."

"Really?"

"Really!" Sheridan replied, rolling her eyes. "Now, shoo. Go back to being grounded."

"Thank you," Kim gushed, wrapping Sheridan up in a great big hug. _She's such a big softy_. She felt Sheridan tense then relax, before returning the embrace. Eyes closed, Kim missed Sheridan's outline distorting for a split-second. "I would've won, you know," Kim whispered. "And there's no way you could've beaten me without touching me."

"Care to put your money where your mouth is?" Sheridan asked, stepping back.

"Always!" Kim replied, dancing out of range with a smile on her lips. She was running on a high at the good news, and there was no better way to celebrate it than with some sparring practice.

"Stakes?"

"Winner gets control of the tv remote for tha week."

"Sounds good."

"And no cheating!" Kim said.

"Like I need to cheat!" Sheridan replied.

"I know you."

"I'll only use what I've got," Sheridan said as she held up her empty hands, smirking.

Kim nodded, but she was wary of the look in Sheridan's eyes. It told her that something was up, and that she would have to be ready for whatever trick was used. She took in a deep breath to relax herself and let the quiet of the surrounding forest wash over her. Without warning she sprung forwards, using Shego's own tactics against Sheridan

Sheridan smiled at her. An open, honest smile. Then her clothes simply disappeared. Kim was suddenly face to face with a completely naked Sheridan and it brought her to a sliding stop. Too startled to look away, she stared unabashedly at her Aphrodite's slender, athletic build and perfect proportions.

"Come get me, Kim!" Sheridan said, huskily. She ran her hands through her raven-black hair, letting it cascade over her shapely shoulders. "I'm completely at your mercy."

While Sheridan's hard-light body was identical to Shego's in every possible way, Kim had never felt anything but friendship towards her. Confronted by Sheridan's naked, statuesque form, pale green skin almost glowing in the sun-dappled light, and the deliberate double entendre and come hither gaze, Kim's entire world was rocked. She tingled all over as she watched those perfect breasts rise and fall, her wide-eyed gaze drifting lower…

A neuron fired.

 _Oh god!_ she thought, spinning around. _Oh geez!_

She closed her eyes, but the sexy image was burned into her brain. She knew she had lost. There was no way she could grapple, grasp, or fight with Sheridan like this. Unfortunately, her overactive imagination filled in the blanks, even as she felt Sheridan approach.

"And that's how you win a fight," Sheridan said, from right behind.

~o~

Kim ran into her bedroom and slammed the door shut, locking it behind her.

 _Da-Dammit! I'm not allowed to think about her like this!_

" _Come get me, Kim…"_

Kim shivered and squeezed her eyes shut as those sultry words echoed through her. It didn't help, the fire of need had been lit. In a whirlwind of action she closed the windows and pulled the blinds down then turned the stereo on, not trusting Sheridan after her reveal of Kim's masturbatory shenanigans.

 _It's been a long week without you!_ she thought, glancing at the vibrator still on her bed.

There was no need for porn or to start slow and build herself up, her desire too strong. She pulled off her shirt and threw it against a wall, glad she had forgone a bra. Next off were her shorts and panties, discarded to a far corner of the room. A towel was hastily laid on the bed, then her trembling hands plugged the vibrator's power cord into the wall socket. Throwing herself onto the comforter, she spread her legs, desperately needing the release.

 _Think of Shego…_

A simple touch sent her eyes rolling back in her head, the best yet to come. She nestled back into the pillows and closed her eyes, the subtle, throbbing hum of the vibrator sending her arousal into overdrive.

 _Think of Shego_ …

They were on the bed together, and she was straddling Shego's sexy green thighs. She let Shego's unique scent envelop her as she leaned in close, the phantom kiss making her toes curl and her back arch. She moaned and lost herself in the fantasy, Shego naked. Beautiful. Kissing her. Fucking her. Nails raking across her flushed skin.

She bit her lip … and brought the vibrator down onto her–

A familiar, trilling sound filled her senses, then pain – searing, absolute pain – all throughout her skull.

 _No! Not now!_

She sat up clutching her head, the world swimming in and out of focus. She scrabbled for support as she she leaned over the edge of the bed, trying not to throw up.

 _Wh-Why me?_

It wasn't a tumor or cancer, or any of the thousand other possibilities that her symptoms always exhibited, the world's best neurosurgeons still unable to diagnose what was wrong with her. One theory was a psychosomatic reaction brought on by post-traumatic stress disorder from the Lorwardian invasion. While the weirdest idea was an inter-dimensional, space alien parasite. She was just thankful that the paralyzing, debilitating attacks of a few months ago had turned into some sort of occasional migraine. So she had moved on with her life, until someone could give her an answer.

 _It's not that bad… It's not that had… It's not that_ …

She had no idea how long she just sat there rocking back and forth, but eventually the pain receded and her vision returned.

 _Ow…_

 _That… was bad._

She slowly lay back on the comforter covered in sweat, but there was a smile on her face.

 _I'm gonna see Shego. So it's still the best - day - ever!_

~o0o~

Will Du straightened his immaculately pressed jacket as the high speed lift zoomed its way down into the bowels of the earth. The New York skyscraper far above was the new face of Global Justice. Its flashy design a symbol of world safety and security, helping to bridge the gap between the old and the new. As always, Central Command was located deep underground, watching and reacting to flare ups all across the globe, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Punctual to work as always, Will started running through what would be needed for the day. He was still planning and organizing the day's activities as the lift chimed in arrival, and he stepped out into the noisy, bustling hub that was Global Justice.

Flashing his badge at the security station, he headed off down the well-lit corridor towards the main changing rooms. He nodded at various agents as he walked, soon arriving at the locker rooms. Quickly changing into his Global Justice uniform, he stepped back outside and stopped. His personal assistant, Agent Philippa Stephensen, was waiting for him.

"There you are," his assistant said, that eternal annoyance in her voice.

 _Oh well, so much for coffee_ , Will thought. He gave her a smile – he had been practicing – but it bounced right off her ever-present frown. "Why are you meeting me here, and not in my office?" Walking up to his assistant, he paid close attention to the single report in her hands. "Was the weekend that bad?"

"Yes. And no," Agent Stephensen answered, terse as always. "Here," she said, holding out the folder, the words 'strictly confidential' stamped on its cover. "Also, Dr. Lipsky is waiting in your office."

"My office?" he said, pausing in opening the file. "He doesn't have clearance to be in my department."

"Agreed. He was able to get in, somehow. And he's refusing to leave until he's spoken to you."

"You didn't call security?"

"He's one of our top scientists. It would look bad. And I know you interact with him socially."

 _Our karaoke nights_.

"He's created quite the disruption amongst our agents."

 _Give me a dangerous mission over bureaucracy any day of the week_ , Will thought _. I'm not cut out for a desk job_. He was an agent used to the action on the front line. Unfortunately, his latest promotion felt like a demotion. _Babysitting a bunch of spandex wearing do-gooders. Whose qualifications are practically non-existent when it comes to helping people_.

He tucked the folder under his arm and marched off down the hallway, Agent Stephensen at his side. After passing multiple department's, all with shiny plaques by their doors, he finally stopped at a door labeled: 'WHILD'. In a simple black and gold font, the wording stated: World Hero Interdependence and Liaison Department.

 _Or, the babysitters club_ , he thought.

Will stepped up to the door and swiped his access card, pressed his hand against a security panel, then lowered his eye for a scan. The door opened, and the two of them walked inside.

The hustle and bustle of the outside hallway was replied by the muted sounds of agents hard at work as they organized and directed the world's heroes. Except, the agents weren't. The normally orderly desks and chairs had all been moved to the side to create an open space in the middle of the room, and standing in the center of it all and surrounded by agents in rapt attention was Dr. Drakken. He was dressed in a scientist's white lab coat, his once longish hair now cut shorter and tinged with grey along the temples. Apart from his blue skin, he would not stand out in a crowd. That is, until you caught his gaze. There was something there. Call it deranged, crazy, genius or all of the above, his eyes told you that there was so much more to the man. Those orbs pulled you in and sucked you down. Making you believe that anything was possible when the creativity of mad science ruled your days.

 _One mandatory weekend away, and this is the mess I come back to_ , Will thought. He looked around at the unattended computers and all their unchecked monitors, then turned his attention back to Drakken.

 _Chaos! Simply chaos! And in my department, too!_

Will pointedly cleared his throat. It went unheard. He tried again, a bit louder. There was still no acknowledgement. He frowned, and was about to call out when he was finally noticed. Slowly, each and every agent looked his way, then scurried back to their desk's. Will let his stern gaze follow them before he strode up to Drakken, unsurprised that the man hadn't even noticed that his audience was now gone.

 _He does love the sound of his own voice_ , Will thought. "Dr. Lipsky?"

"And there I was in the Peruvian Rain Forest," Drakken said with overdone theatrics, "with both Shego and Kim Possible under my complete control–"

"Dr. Lipsky?!"

"Please, save your questions for later," Drakken said, his arms raised for his storytelling.

"It's Will!"

"Ah, Will?" Drakken said, smoothly turning to face him.

"My office. Please!" Will did not wait for a reply, marching off to his room. "And, agents, get this room back in working order. I'll want a full recount of the weekends activities once I'm done with Dr. Lipsky!"

Around him agents leaped to obey, and by the time he sat behind his desk the situation room was once again back to how it should have been. He watched Dr. Drakken sit down opposite him, and the two of them stared across the desk at each other.

"Now, Drew, what can I do for you?" _And afterwards, you can tell me how you got past our security systems_.

"You didn't show up Friday night," Drakken said, hurt in his voice.

"I didn't show–" _He broke in because I missed our karaoke night?_ "Drew, I said I would try and make it. I couldn't."

"I had to sing 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' all by myself."

 _How does Dr. Director do it?_ Will thought. He wanted to sigh and drag a hand down his face. He managed to do neither, but only just. _How does she keep such a calm disposition while dealing with the insane?_ "Drew, a simple phone call wouldhave sufficed. Why did you feel the need to break into my department?" _Disregarding so many of our regulations_.

"Will, Will, Will, we're all one big, happy family here," Drakken replied.

"Well–"

"And really, the bureaucratic restrictions on all your departments are truly evil. Far more diabolical than anything I would ever do."

"But–"

"As to why I'm here, I'm cancelling my next lecture on the ins and outs of villainy. Some personal matters have arisen." He leaned forwards, dropping his voice. "This means my tracking chip needs to be disabled."

"Um–"

"I'll leave it all in your capable hands." He pulled a file from his coat and dropped it onto the desk. "There's the specs on how to deactivate the chip without damaging it."

"Drew, you can't dump all this on me and just expect it to happen!"

"I can't?" He looked quizzical for second, then rallied. "Yes, of course I can. You're adequately in charge, after all."

"Well, yes. But there are other factors at play here. Other departments that will need to be involved. As for your chip–"

"Good, good, I see you have it all under control." Drakken vigorously shook Will's hand then headed for the door. "See you Friday." He exited the room and passed through the outer office, softly humming happy birthday to himself. It brought a lot of strange glances from the agents, and for Will.

Will leaned back in his chair as he wrapped his head around what he had been asked to do. While Drakken did work for their science division, he still fell under Will's jurisdiction as a bad guy turned good. Rescheduling the lecture for all the heroes involved would be annoying, but doable. Disabling an agent's tracking chip, even temporarily, was impossible. Let alone for a former villain of Drakken's caliber.

 _It can't be done_. He opened the file Drakken had left, the pages full of technical scribbles. _But I know he's found a way. And that he'll do it, with or without my help. Damn, I didn't even ask him what was so important_.

He pushed the folder aside and opened the one underneath, the one his assistant had handed to him. He read the summary. Read it again. Then punched the button on his intercom.

"Philippa, get me Kim Possible!"

" _Yes, Sir."_

~o0o~

It is amazing what can be achieved when there is an extremely competent person in charge with an attitude that never takes no for an answer. Through sheer force of will Dr. Director had saved Global Justice from the ruins of the Perses Virus and rebuilt it and rebranded it into the powerhouse it had now become. Risen from the ashes of meddling and mismanagement, she now wielded supreme control. Using her organization as a scalpel against the tumorous villains of the world.

Dr. Director sat back in her chair as she drummed her fingers on her desk, slowly analyzing the email from Will Du. Not a week went by where she didn't receive some frustrated correspondence from Agent Du about some matter or another. This though… this did require her full attention. She leaned forwards and pressed the button on her intercom.

"Naomi, get me Kim Possible."

" _Right away, Ma'am,"_ Agent Wilson replied.

Dr. Director looked around her office as she waited for the call to come through, her room exactly the same as her old office in Washington, D.C. Dominating the area was a massive wooden desk, saying in no uncertain terms this was the director's office. One whole wall was dedicated to monitors displaying Global Justice missions all around the world. Over next to the door was a meeting table, big enough to seat a dozen people, and right next to the table was a single wall sized monitor for depicting Global Justice's other activities. Scattered around the room were a few chairs and also a large and comfy couch, a foldout bed for those many nights when work kept her here. In the back was a well-appointed kitchenette for those late nights and long meetings.

She turned back to her desktop's monitor as it changed.

"Dr. Director," Wade said, his friendly face on screen.

 _Not who I was wanting, but who I was expecting_ ," Dr. Director thought. 'Wade, I need to speak to Kim."

"As I told Will, she's incommunicado for the week."

"I see." _He's stonewalling me, just like he did Will_. _Kim's always contactable. Something's up_. "I'm afraid I have to insist."

"Sorry, it's really not possible. I'll let her know you called, though."

 _Yes, something is definitely up._ _Look past his age. Remember he has a genius level IQ. And that if he didn't work with Kim, he'd most likely be a supervillain by now_. She flashed him a smile. "That won't do. This is important!" _You're playing mind games, Mr. Load_. _So let's bring you into it_. "I'm sure you know what this is about?"

"I do," Wade replied, his face turning serious.

"So you know how much trouble she's in?"

"Actually, she's not," he said with certainty.

"She took evidence from an active crime scene. And more than just evidence, a city destroying weapon."

"The Hero Act of fifty-eight clearly states that Kim can decide what to do with any tech she retrieves from an encounter."

"Yes, yes, I know all about the Hero Act. But this was a Global Justice mission, so that means any and all artifacts fall under our jurisdiction."

"Kim and I see it differently. So I think it's best if you to talk to our lawyer on the subject."

"Lawyer?" Dr. Director said, her tone rising in surprise.

"Alan Sacks, from Sacks, Sax, and Saks. His specialty is–

"International hero law." _I know him by reputation, all too well. This'll be Shego's doing_. "Before we go dragging lawyers into this, can you explain to me why Kim removed the gauntlets?"

"That's need to know at this stage."

 _I need to know!_ "Global Justice needs to know for security reasons."

"I'm afraid you don't."

She focused her ice glare upon him. Lesser men had wilted under that stare, yet Wade remained unfazed. It was the safety of the internet, she realized. There was also no way to know if she was even on his screen. She watched him take slurp of his ever-present drink as he typed away, his attention now elsewhere.

"I've added your name to Kim's 'to do' list, and I'll make sure she sees it when she's able," Wade said.

 _Diplomacy first. Lawyers later_ , Dr. Director thought. "Fine."

"Though, she is busy for the next month with social engagements."

 _She is? Interesting_. "Then remind her that WHILD still needs her to come in for a full debriefing."

"Will do." He chuckled at his pun. "Wade out."

She let him go, feeling no need to continue the conversation.

 _If he didn't work with Kim, I'd have shut him down years ago. Maybe I still should? Without him to lean on, she may gravitate back to us?_ She jotted the idea down in her notes section. _And it can't be a coincidence that both Kim and Dr. Lipsky have social events on at the same time_. She wrote it down as well. _Maybe there's a way to exploit… whatever it is, so I can get Kim to voluntarily reconsider joining Global Justice? Especially with Shego out of the picture._

She looked over at her map of the world.

 _Wherever she is._

~o0o~

It was another perfect day in paradise on the secret island hideaway. A lone, pale green figure lay under a beach umbrella next to the crystal clear waters of the ocean, indifferent to the beauty of nature all around her. Beside her was a bottle of scotch in some small contraption to keep it cold, though it currently remained unopened.

Shego rolled onto her back, eyes closed behind her dark sunglasses.

 _So bored_ , she thought. _Being grounded sucks. But at least it's only one day til freedom. Then it's back to Dr. Erikson,_ She poked out her tongue, _and hunting down this Conquistador asshole_.

That she would be sunbathing even if she wasn't grounded did not escape her, she just refused to acknowledge it. She shifted onto her side and stared at the bottle of scotch.

 _Mama won't like it that it's before lunch, but what she doesn't know…_

She reached for the bottle, then froze as she heard approaching footsteps. She looked back and up, watching as her mother came into view down the narrow, sandy pathway, then onto the beach proper.

 _How did she know?_ Shego thought. "What?" she growled.

"You received a phone call," Mrs. Go said, her knowing eyes moving between Shego and the scotch.

"Don't care. I'm grounded, remember?"

"It's from Wesley."

"And you didn't answer it?"

"Of course not. You know why."

Shego grunted and held out a hand, her untraceable Drakken phone placed into it. She lay there as her mom left, and eventually sat up. Shifting her sunglasses to her forehead, she checked her messages, still none from Kim.

 _Yeah, she can't stand me. Not after what I did in Acapulco_.

It felt like her heart was slowly being ripped out, but she pushed the feeling down. Walled off her emotions. It was the only way to stay safe and sane in this world. She felt the sudden urge to move about, so she stood up and trudged along the beach, splashing in the small waves as she returned her brother's call.

" _Shez!"_ Wendell said, his happy voice filling her ear.

"Hey you," she said, smiling.

" _I'm here too!"_ Wesley piped up..

"As always, you rogue. So, what's up? What can I do for my two favorite brothers?"

" _You haven't returned any of Alan's or Margaret's calls."_

" _Or Henry's."_

" _So we're here to make sure–"_

 _Uh-oh!_ she thought.

"– _That you show up for your birthday party."_

"Guys–" she started to say.

" _Don't even try it, Shez!"_

"It's not that. It's just–"

" _Don't you love us?"_

" _Want to see us and celebrate your special day with us?"_

 _Fuckin' emotional blackmail!_ she thought. Yet it was working. "Look, I could maybe drop by. Briefly."

" _That's great. You can pick us up on the way!"_

 _Um, what?_

" _We've got a lot of heavy stuff. So just swing by Go Tower, and we can all fly out on the jet together. Since, you know, we're not technically old enough to fly it by ourselves as yet."_

"What about Henry?" she asked, looking for a loophole.

" _He won't be here. But we knew you'd be happy to take us."_

 _They played me!_ "Fine! I'll pick you up and we can all fly over."

" _It's in San Siro this year, so pack for swimming. And Shez?"_

"What?"

" _We'll need to be picked up on the nineteenth, and we'll be coming back on the fifth."_

"That's–" She looked down as the call disconnected. _Why those dirty little– That's two weeks in Italy! And I agreed! Gahhh!_

She stood there and stared out over the glittering ocean, lost in thought. She had nothing against birthdays in general, it's just that her's brought up all sorts of unwanted emotions. It was on that very day that the meteor had hit, changing her and her brothers lives forever. She had avoided celebrating it while working for Drakken. Of course he had tried to find out, but she had painfully reminded him that personal matters were way out of bounds. Now though, she had her amnesty and her freedom, and her brothers and adoptive family were circling once again.

 _And I'll go_. She pictured a smiling Wesley and Wendell. _Because they want it so much_.

Sunbathing had lost what little charm it had, so she packed everything up and headed up the hill. It was a short walk, barely a minute before she was on the deck by her pool. She dropped all her gear onto a table, then headed inside.

"A birthday party? How exciting," Mrs. Go said.

Shego grunted in reply.

"Any thoughts on what you'll wear?"

"Shorts and a t-shirt," Shego said. "It's just a–"

"Birthday party! And you can do so much better. How about that pretty little green dress you bought recently? It would be perfect for an Italian summer?"

 _Hell, no!_ "Mama, I am not wearing a dress, any dress, to a party!"

"Tch. Don't be so stubborn. You looked adorable in that dress."

"I don't care! I don't like 'em!"

"And what would Kim think about that?"

"She's not…" She pinched her nose in exasperation. _She's never going to let this drop_. "Mama, we're not together!"

"And whose fault is that, hmm?" Mrs. Go did not wait for a reply and headed for Shego's set of rooms. "Since we've got a few weeks before your party, let's see what we can do about the rest of your wardrobe!"

 _Why me?_ Shego thought as she hurried after her mother, needing to protect her clothes.

~o0o~

 _Why me_ … Sue Donym thought morosely as she stared out the limousine's window.

She knew why, she just hated being out and about in her natural form like this. But if her target refused to play ball, then necessity would dictate a drastic response. She would enjoy that, but until then she was exposed. She hunkered back into the limousine's leather seat and stared out the window, all too aware of the two burly, human-looking cyborgs accompanying her. They were nameless entities to her. Here to keep her safe and to enforce her will.

 _Why me_ …

She found herself toying with the cuff of her business suit's sleeve, the healthy pink complexion of her hand jarring to her eyes.

 _That's not me. Not anymore_ …

Her temporary change in appearance was all due to her villainous boss. He had used Camille Leon's ability to morph, creating a range of products that could – for a while – mask her gray skin, hair and eyes. Camille had been all too happy to donate whatever was required for the promise of untold riches. It had worked. The former socialite remaining none the wiser of their true, long term plans. Then Sue had stepped back into the shadows, making sure that Camille received all the accolades and the credit. To reap the rewards of their marvelous invention.

 _I'm the connective tissue that binds us together._

Sue giggled quietly to herself and went back to watching the streets of Beverly Hills pass by, and soon they stopped at the wrought iron gates to a large mansion. She was still lost in the past as she looked up, the building's silhouette reminding her of home. It brought with it a sense of overwhelming dread, the sight too much. She couldn't breathe. Best forgotten memories, ones hidden beneath layers of psychosis rose to the surface. A mother, gone. A predatory father, who abused her. His cohorts she had been passed around too. Then, that night: her rebellion – leaving her bloody and broken. The panic from all involved as they covered it up. Then her indescribable death … still alive as the industrial microwave reduced her to dust, from the inside out.

Yet she did not die. Not truly.

Trapped between light and dark…

A whisper of a ghost…

Lost…

She had been found by him. Saved by him. And he had given her purpose. And revenge. The horrors she had visited on those involved had warmed her frozen heart. Now her father's severed, living head was a permanent trophy in her room.

"Are you okay?"

The question from one of Sue's bodyguards snapped her back to the here and now, her body dissolving into mist. She grimaced and regained control of herself, pushing the memories back down. However, there was nothing that could be done for her clothes, or her complexion. A gray hand was raised, the lining and the edges of her business suit now faded to gray.

"I'm fine…" she whispered.

She half-listened to a brief conversation between the limousine driver and an intercom, then they were driving up the winding road to the mansion. They stopped in front of the elegant building, built for someone with very expensive tastes and an eye for style. There were dozens of other cars parked nearby, unexpected and unwanted. She reached into her handbag for some more color-changing blush, shrinking back as the chauffeur opened her door for her. She glanced past him at the sounds of loud music and partying coming from inside the mansion.

 _A-A party? I don't think I can_ – She flinched as the front door flew open, Camille Leon staggering out.

"Sue! How ya– How ya doin?" Camille yelled, drunkenly. She raised both her arms as she staggered down the wide marble steps, an open bottle of tequila in hand.

Camille had always been runway model thin, and time and money had not changed this. She had permed her long, blonde hair and streaked it with a variety of different colors, and her normally blue eyes were currently tinted orange and green. She literally sparkled as she reached the limousine, her skin glittering like diamonds in the midday sun. Her designer shorts, top, and jewelry almost out of place.

"Sue, it's been too–" Camille said, burping. "Too long!"

"It has," Sue replied, inching away.

She froze as Camille yanked her out of the limousine and engulfed her in a massive hug, only to find herself having to keep the tipsy woman upright. She gritted her teeth and stepped back when able, Camille swaying unsteadily in front of her. Camille's eyes were bloodshot behind the tinting and her breath stank of alcohol, and her manic gaze told Sue that harder substances had been on the menu.

"I see you've been enjoying _your_ color-changing products?" Sue said.

"Like, totally!" Camille replied, and she turned on the spot to give Sue the full effect. "And what about you?" She stepped back and looked Sue up and down, frowning. "Still with the gray? You really should let me give you a proper Camille Leon makeover."

"I'm fine, really. I'm just here for our meeting." _And it was meant to be private, not a party_. "So is there someplace that we can do our business, alone?"

"Thanks to you and your mystery boss, I've got a whole mansion of rooms that we can speak in. C'mon." She linked arms with Sue and marched her back up the steps. "Then we can paaarty!"

"Oh? Uh…"

Sue and Camille entered the mansion, the thumping bass washing over them. Sue shrank into her business suit as best she could, the entire house seemingly one big party. Disco balls and laser lights flashed in time to the beat, while men and women in all stages of undress danced, socialized, and more wherever Sue looked. She quickly glanced behind, breathing in relief at the sight of her bodyguards in close proximity.

"You've got yours, I've got Jake and Trevor as my personal security," Camille said, nodding at two suited men on either side of the doorway. "If there's one thing that I learned from being on the wrong side of the law, it's that you can never have too much protection."

They headed upstairs, and after Jake and Trevor had cleared the conference room of amorous couples, Sue and Camille were finally alone.

 _Safe!_ Sue thought, taking a seat at the large table. Crowds, while in this form, we're not her thing. Then again, anywhere exposed like this was like nails down a chalkboard to her.

"So, Sue, what can I do for you and my mystery benefactor?" Camille asked as she plopped herself down into a chair and swung her feet up onto the table. She leaned back as she took a swig of tequila, her unfocused gaze wavering over Sue.

 _She's off her head_ , Sue thought."Camille, before I left, I said your assistance would be needed in the future. Do you remember?"

"I do. It was a total downer. Especially since you'd just given me the whole enterprise."

"Well, it's come to–" She blinked. "Are you taking drugs?"

"It's good stuff!" Camille said, looking up from her line of cocaine. "Want some?"

"No!"

"Well, I've changed my mind."

"I said 'no'."

"No, I've changed my mind about helping you. It all sounds like such a drag. Plus, I'm fabulously wealthy now. Why should I risk it all?"

"We made you rich!"

"With my help! So, anything else, or shall we get down to partying?"

"I don't think you understand," Sue said as she nervously shuffled her feet. "My boss doesn't take 'no' for an answer!"

"Too bad! Mercenary work isn't my thing anymore!" Camille dropped her hand under the table and it was immediately followed by four burly security guards rushing in through a side door. "I've decided you're uninvited, so these gentlemen will see you out. Ta ta!"

Sue shrunk back in her seat as the men approached, her fingers playing with the emergency call button in her pocket. A quick decision was made. She looked up at their stony faces as a hand came down on her shoulder, the man tapping his sidearm in warning.

She reached up and lightly touched the guard's wrist.

Sue's form faded into the background, ice filling her veins as she ceased to be. Around her the call of the void howled for her, but she was stronger now. In the blink of an eye she flowed over the security guard, possessing his weak and feeble flesh. His skin turned gray then back to normal, and she looked up, dark gray eyes flashing as she looked around, a grin dominating her face.

Sue flexed her new Jake arms, a wild, crazy look on her face. The gun came smoothly to her hand, and she emptied the clip into the nearest guard.

"Wh-What are you?" Camille shrieked, falling backwards and out of her chair.

"Your worst fuckin' nightmare!" Sue cackled.

She was already mist as bullets riddled her body, merging with the next assailant. Behind her the door burst open, thumping music filling the room as her own bodyguards charged into play. She turned and tackled the remaining guard out the second story window, flowing back into the room to possess the newly arrived Jake. She stood and winked at Camille hiding behind the table, then danced her way over to Trevor who was being held down. She giggled as she helped herself to a dagger from one of her bodyguards, then she knelt in front of Trevor. She slid a hand down his pants to massage his cock, then she slashed his throat so his warm blood sprayed all over her. She licked the blade, then she spun and eviscerated him, ramming the dagger through his neck and into his brain.

"Bring her! Sue commanded, pointing at the cowering Camille.

~o0o~

The setting sun highlighted the quiet, gated community in upstate Oregon, the aged residents settling in for the night. In the middle of one of the backyards, the well-manicured grass depressed into two large, slightly separated circles. Appearing out of nowhere, was a man. He was resplendent in a double-breasted blue coat and black trousers, accompanied by black gloves and boots. His jet-black hair was swept back into a mullet, completing his ominous look.

He ignored his surroundings as strode forwards, making his way up and onto the back landing. He raised a hand to knock, and stopped himself, then he opened the door and stepped inside.

"Mother…?" he called out, in a cold, nasally voice. It had been harder to say than he had expected, but that was why he was here.

"Drewbie, is that you?" a woman replied.

This villainous aberration of Drakken entered the living room to find Mrs. Lipsky sitting comfortably in front of the television. He easily solved the Jeopardy question that was on the screen, then turned to greet the approaching woman.

"Drewbie, this is such an wonderful surprise," Mrs. Lipsky said. She threw her arms around him and gave him a rib-cracking hug.

 _Urk!_ he thought, in pain

He had vivid memories of her hugs, but he had never actually experienced one. Even so, it still came as a shock at how strong she actually was. He stepped back, wincing, and looked down at the small, stocky woman. Mrs. Lipsky was in her favorite yellow dress, with blue-green flowers printed on it. She had on her green tinted glasses and was currently barefoot in the summer warmth, no sign of her signature jewelry since she was at home.

"Don't tell me, you brought that lovely young lady from accounting home to see me?" Mrs. Lipsky said, her face hopeful.

"No. That's not why I'm here."

"Oh, that's too bad. I'm quite looking forward to meeting her."

He looked at her looking at him, waiting for her to say that something was wrong. Off. Different about him.

"Are you staying for dinner? Of course you are," Mrs. Lipsky announced. "I'll whip us up something special, and you can tell me all about your day." She scurried off to the kitchen, whistling happily as she went.

 _Do it now?_ he thought, his icy gaze watching her go. _No, it can wait._

He looked around, most things where he remembered them being. Yet he had never been here. The 'other' Drakken had – the original, the failure. He perused the family photographs as he made his way upstairs, and entered Drakken's old bedroom. It was lit with a ruddy glow from the setting sun, yet he did not bother with the light. He knew where everything was. Time had seemingly stopped since Drakken had left for college. Overflowing bookcases lined the walls, along with intricate drawings and doodles of fantastical contraptions. The comforter on the bed had a Darth Vader motif and above it was a poster of a young Stephen Hawking.

He hated the sight of it all. They weren't his memories, yet they were. They stifled him. Everything in this house did. He slammed a hand into a bookcase, and a precariously placed book fell and flipped open. He snatched it up in annoyance, the chapter's heading catching his eye.

 _Janus?_

He checked the book's spine, this particular compendium on Roman gods, religion, and myth. He remembered this god's domain, but what really captured his attention as he started to read was that Janus presided over the beginning and ending of conflicts, and hence war and peace. It perfectly mirrored his master plan. As did the fact that Janus was usually depicted as having two faces.

 _Two of us. Two faces…_

He was well aware that referring to himself as simply 'Drakken' wasn't enough of a separation between him and the original Dr. Drakken. That rankled him. True change needed to happen. Now, as fate or the gods would have it, a new moniker had been revealed to him.

 _Janus. Dr. Janus. Professor Janus. Master Janus. Hrm… I'll have to think on this._

He stood there deep in thought as the room fell into darkness, the sun sinking below the horizon. He smiled manically and tossed the book aside, then grabbed a pillow from the bed.

 _Time to be done with this life! This charade… of family!_

He arrived in the kitchen to see Mrs. Lipsky frying up some potato pancakes. The glorious smell made his mouth water, but he would not be deterred.

Mrs. Lipsky looked over her shoulder at him and at the pillow in his hand.

"Is there something wrong?" Mrs. Lipsky asked, smiling.

"Yes, Mother!" he rasped as he stepped closer, pulling out a futuristic pistol from his coat. "It is time I _excised_ your crippling existence from my life!"

"What–"

He squeezed the trigger and a red beam shot out, striking Mrs. Lipsky. She was enveloped in a reddish hue and froze in place, only her wildly staring eyes looking back at him. He pocketed the gun and gently laid her on the floor, then covered her face with the pillow. He held it in place as he bore down on her, not an emotional muscle moving on his face at her panicked cries … not even when she stopped breathing.

He didn't move for the longest time, but he eventually sat back and stood up. Straightening his hair, he looked around the kitchen as if seeing it for the first time. He sneered, then walked through the house and out into the backyard.

"Proceed!" he announced, stepping forwards and disappearing.

Sue Donym appeared nearby in her Jake body, dried blood on her face, her clothes tinged with gray. She strode towards the house, her two bodyguards appearing behind her, and hanging over one of their shoulders was a bruised and unconscious Camille Leon.

~o0o~

The mission was everything.

Kim flew from country to country, each stop more desperate and frantic than the last. She had come to realize that it was a lost cause, but she would never give up, never surrender. She landed her hovercraft on the building's rooftop and leaped out, her mad dash through the interior going without incident.

She slid to a stop before a door and raised a fist, the barrier opening before she could act.

"Monique, I–" Kim blurted out, stopping herself. The person in front of her was not Monique, but it was most definitely Monique's apartment behind the woman. _Early morning. Cute girl at the door. Monique found someone!_

Kim instantly sized the woman up and came to the conclusion that this person was not right for Monique. Her best friend needed a free-spirit and not a corporate business woman. Kim would never say such a thing, but it was her honest opinion. Still, she smiled in greeting, the smartly dressed stranger seemingly just as surprised as Kim.

"Hi, I'm Kim," Kim said.

"Alexa," the woman replied, the two of them shaking hands. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to run. Business meeting and all."

"Oh. Um, sure," Kim replied, watching her rush off. _Blue-green eyes? How pretty_. She stepped inside and closed the door, then called out, "Monique, I need your help!"

"Kim?" Monique replied from the bedroom. "Hangonasec!" A short time later she came trotting out in her pajamas, a loose robe thrown over the top. She had a big smile on her face as she waved at Kim, before she disappeared into the bathroom. There was the sound of running water and then she came back out and gave Kim a hug, her normally perfect hair in disarray. Kim knew that look and recognized the faint aroma behind Monique's freshly washed face.

 _She's just had sex!_ Kim thought. _I so want morning sex. And afternoon sex, and evening sex. Gods, I want all tha sex!_

"GF, this is a wonderful surprise," Monique said as she stepped back, holding out Kim's arms.

"Hey, I'm so sorry for dropping in without calling, but it's an emergency!" Kim said. "If I'd known you had company…"

"It's okay, GF. So you met Alexa?"

"Briefly. She had to rush off."

"Yep, she's got a big presentation this morning." She glanced back at the bedroom. "But I kinda made her late."

"Oh…" Kim found herself blushing as sex, her Achilles heel, rose once again. "Um, are you two serious?"

"Kinda. Maybe. Don't know. It was all a crazy random happenstance in how we met. But it's only been a week, and we've spent most of it…" She gestured at her room.

"In the bedroom?"

"In the bedroom." Monique linked their arms and walked over to the couch, sitting down. "So what's the emergency? What can little ol' me do to help?"

"It's Shego!" Kim exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. "I got two letters a few week ago, one inviting me to her birthday party in Italy, and the other to a private wedding." She turned and started to pace. "I–I can't work out what to get her as a present." She paused and looked at Monique. "I'm hoping you can help? 'Cause I'm leaving for Italy, like, in two days!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Monique said, her tone increasing. "You're going to a wedding, and I'm only just finding out about it now?"

 _Uh-oh_ , Kim thought, recognizing the warning signs.

"And just _what_ were you planning on _wearing_ to this wedding?"

"Mo, I was going to ask, honest! Right after I got back from Italy."

"Mm-hm… And what exactly _were_ you going to ask?" Monique inquired, crossing her arms.

"That I need a kickass dress for a wedding, and could you please, please design and make it for me?"

Monique tapped her chin in thought then grinned, her serious demeanor just falling away. Kim knew it had been an act, but she still breathed a sigh of relief.

"When's the big day?" Monique asked.

"In a month," Kim replied.

"Well, that gives me plenty of time to come up with something special. So, in the meantime, let's see what we can do about your Shego problem."

"Spankin!"

 **~o0o~**

I've done my Shego and Kim centric chapters, so this was the chance for some other characters to show what they have been up to. Though, I made sure to start and finish with Kim. It also took a lot of brainpower to get Kim and Shego heading in the same direction sooner than I wanted, but I did it. Yay. Next up, Italy!

And no, I hadn't forgotten about Kim's headaches from Home is where the a Heart is, or the reasons that cause them.

 **~o0o~**


	7. Reunion

**~o0o~**

 _Oookay, anything else?_ Kim thought as she looked around her room then back at her overflowing suitcase.

She had no idea what to expect in Italy for Shego's birthday, so she had packed for every occasion; casual clothes, formal, relaxed and more, they were all in there. She smirked at what Monique had suggested she bring, which were just some shorts, a t-shirt, a bikini, and a very sexy negligee. She wasn't that brave, as yet. She frowned at her poor, overflowing suitcase, but there was no way she was going to let it dictate to her what she could and could not bring.

 _Yep, that's everything. So_ …

She attacked the zipper with zeal just like she did with everything else in life, huffing and panting as she inched it around the case.

 _Done!_ she thought, stepping back and stretching her back. She nodded at a job well done and collapsed onto the bed, and patted her suitcase.

 _One small step for me. One giant leap for me and Shego_.

She lay there smiling, something she had been doing a lot lately. She was finally going to see Shego, that it would be in Italy and for Shego's birthday was just icing on the cake. Because of this she had decided to turn the whole trip into one long, neglected holiday. This meant that she would be flying in on a jumbo jet and using a taxi like a normal person. It would feel strange, but she wanted it.

There was one last thing she needed to do before she left.

She rolled off the bed and trotted into the bathroom and picked up a black choker with a green jewel in the center. The gem caught the light in strange ways and at a certain angle a monkey's paw could be seen within its crystalline structure. She hung the amulet around her neck and her reflection in the mirror shimmered into a stranger's face, the changes subtle yet enough to fool anyone looking for her. Blue eyes stared back at her, with dark brown hair cascading over her loose green t-shirt emblazoned with the words 'Bite Me' on the front, while tight black jeans covered her legs over some well-worn sneakers. It was a look no one expected from her and thus it perfectly complemented her disguise for venturing out in the world.

 _So, disguise._ She touched her choker. _Check. Clothes._ She snapped a black wristband over her silver bracelet. _Check_. _Shego's present safely stashed, check. Bag packed, check._

She exited the bathroom, smiling in anticipation.

"Time to go," she whispered.

~o~

Kim exited her holosuite pulling her suitcase behind her. She pushed the button for the lift and looked down the hallway at her family's abode. No one would be home at this hour, so all her goodbyes had been said last night. She smiled at the memory of the dinner her mom had cooked and at the wonderful family atmosphere that had encompassed the whole evening.

 _I still can't believe how excited my dad is about Shego coming over for dinner, one day. Having her save my life has really spared her the whole rocket ship, black hole, protective father speech_.

The lift chimed in arrival, the doors opening to reveal a smiling Kimberly inside.

"Hey, you," Kimberly said.

"Hey, yourself," Kim replied as she stepped in with her suitcase. "No Sheridan?"

"No Sheridan."

 _Still?_

Kim chewed on her lip in worry as the lift zoomed its way up. Sheridan had been missing in action for the last few weeks, ever since that play fight on the beach. Kim could not work out what she had done to drive Sheridan away, if anything. Even Kimberly had been unable to shed any light on why Sheridan refused to manifest her avatar.

 _As soon as I'm back we're gonna talk, somehow_.

She exited the lift and into the hangar bay, Kimberly in tow.

"I know you said you won't need it, but I'm still gonna park the spare hovercraft in orbit, just in case," Kimberly said.

"It's really not necessary," Kim replied as she heaved her bag into the Liberace hovercraft. "I'm just going for a holiday, and to celebrate Shego's birthday. Like, what could possibly go wrong?"

Kimberly gave her a look that said volumes.

"Hey, I told Wade to hold everything, and he's informed Global Justice that I'm unavailable," Kim said. "It's just gonna be me, Shego and some relaxing fun time."

"Uh-huh," Kimberly replied, rolling her eyes.

"Geez, you make me sound like a disaster magnet."

"Or just someone who enjoys running to them," Sadie said as she materialized.

"So not!" Kim replied, letting out a small huff.

Kimberly and Sadie looked at each other and playfully shook their heads.

"Of course you enjoy running to them, but don't ever change," Sadie said.

"And that's another reason for the hovercraft to be there," Kimberly said as she hugged Kim goodbye. "'Plus, you don't get a say in the matter."

"I know," Kim replied, returning the hug.

She settled herself in the hovercraft and a few minutes later she was standing outside the Denver International Airport, no one noticing how she had just appeared out of thin air. She promptly checked herself in and was pleasantly surprised to find that Wade had booked her a first class ticket, her holiday off to a fantastic start. One uneventful flight to Italy and a connecting flight later, and she was disembarking and looking around for the ride that Wade had organized for her.

 _Is that…?_

Over to one side was a familiar but unexpected face holding up a sign with her alias on it. It was Mr. Sacks, Shego's adoptive father, and he stood out in his expensive suit and tie amongst the waiting crowd. She eagerly walked over to him, once again noting his tall, slender frame, and neatly coiffed hair, grey streaks along the sides. She picked up on his surprise as she stopped in front of him, but he quickly recovered.

"Hey, Mr. Sacks, I wasn't expecting you," Kim said.

"Ms. Possible…?" he inquired in a conspiratorial whisper, a slight German accent to his words.

"Yep, it's me. And please, call me Kim."

"Then I insist you call me Alan."

"Of course," she replied, throwing him her best dimpled smile.

He looked her up and down and shook his head in wonder.

"Mr. Load did say that you would be in disguise, but I severely underestimated what to expect." He slid the sign under his arm and held out a hand, his demeanor warm and friendly. "It's wonderful to see you again," he dropped his voice, "Kim."

"You too. And, um, is Shego here?" she asked as she searched the crowd expectantly.

"Alas, no. She's always been a bit erratic when it comes to family gatherings." He smiled a fatherly smile. "But I have it on good authority that she'll be arriving home soon."

 _Soon! I'll see her soon!_

They collected Kim's suitcase and made small talk as they headed out of the terminal, then it hit Kim as they drove out of the parking bay.

 _I know most people are fine with the whole same sex thing these days, but still, I like HIS daughter. And I'm going to be sitting next to him the whole way home._ She chewed on her lip as she stared out the window. _I like HIS daughter! What do I say? I-I can't talk about how we used to enjoy beating each other up, and how everything grew from there._

This was like picking up a prom date, and having to run the gauntlet of 'the father' first. She had been the quintessential teenager when it came to High School and socializing, then Shego had come along and turned everything upside down. She would not give up her new life for anything, even if she was having to adjust her thinking along the way.

 _Did he just say_ … She focused back on Mr. Sacks and the conversation. "A pool?"

"I was just saying, it's quite a hot day and you've had a long flight. Perhaps you'd like a refreshing swim once we arrive?"

 _A swim? Yes, a swim sounds perfect_.

~o0o~

The bedside alarm went off, followed immediately by a pale green hand reaching out and smacking the off button. Shego rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, her bedroom still dark at this hour of the day. It was far too early to be up and about, but if she wanted to arrive in Italy at a reasonable time then she had no choice. She grumbled as she sat up, even more so as she dressed, but before too long she was ready to leave. She grabbed her already packed overnight bag and walked down the hallway and opened her suite's door. It was dark and quiet in the living room, and in fact the whole house. Tugging on the frayed edges of her t-shirt, she looked back at the green dress on her bed.

 _Skip breakfast and make a run for it?_

She grinned mischievously then stealthily made her way over to the front door and outside, her hovercraft waiting for her.

"Ahem!" a voice announced from behind. "And just where do you think you're going without any breakfast?"

Shego froze with one foot in the air, then sighed and turned around. Mrs. Go stood in a now lit doorway with her arms folded and a frown on her face. It was an expression that Shego knew well, and even after all this time it still brought a lump to her throat.

"Hey, mama. I was just, you know, going to pack everything before grabbing something to eat."

It was such an obvious lie, but it was the best she could come up with on short notice. Mrs. Go snorted and headed back inside, and with a sigh so did Shego.

"And we can do better than what you're wearing," Mrs. Go stated.

"Yeah, okay…" Shego replied, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

~o~

Shego bent down, back straight, and lifted her sports bike up and gently placed it in the back of the hovercraft. The sleek motorbike was her pride and joy, her baby; even more so after all the modifications on it by Dr. Drakken and Motor Ed.

 _If I'm going to be stuck in San Siro, then I'm damn well going to do some sightseeing._

She straightened her green dress and turned back to her mom.

"Here, I baked you some brownies for your trip," Mrs. Go said as she placed a Tupperware container on the side of the hovercraft. "Now, don't forget to take care of yourself, and remember to have fun." She hugged Shego goodbye. "It's _your_ birthday, so enjoy it."

"I will," Shego replied, returning the hug. "And you'll hold down the fort while I'm gone?"

"As always," Mrs. Go replied.

Shego leaped into the hovercraft and settled herself into the pilot's seat. Bringing up the navigational HUD, she set her destination and engaged the autopilot, the island disappearing into the distance.

She had nothing to do for for a short while so she pulled out her phone and looked at the message Kim had eventually replied with. She would normally call bullshit on anyone saying they had been incommunicado for a week, but this was Kim, so it had lightened her heart. Still, she felt no need to respond, the reply had told her that Acapulco had not built a wall between them.

 _Incommunicado for a week? There's a story there. Maybe I'll find out, one day_ …

She toyed with various replies before a beep from the console told her she was nearing her destination. She throttled down to subsonic and grabbed the control stick, and with the flick of a switch she resumed manual control. Grinning in exhilaration, she brought the craft down so low that it was skimming only a few feet above the placid waters of Lake Go before coming to a complete stop before an island.

 _Go Tower_.

She stared at the large, letter shaped building for a while, then flew up and into the hangar bay and landed next to the Go Jet. She was out of the cockpit and striding for the lift when Wesley and Wendell came running down the jet's ramp.

"Shez!" both Wesley and Wendell exclaimed in excitement.

She turned with a smile and was engulfed in a big family hug, which became multiple hugs as her brothers duplicated themselves. She ruffled Wesley's hair and squeezed Wendell tight before her brothers stepped back and looked at her with wide eyes.

"Wow!" Wesley said.

"Yeah. Wow!" Wendell said, mimicking his twin.

 _Um_ … Shego thought, looking at their expressions. "What? What is it?" She glanced around then down, realization dawning. _It's the fuckin dress_. "It's not that big of a deal! You've seen me in a dress before."

"Um, hardly ever. And not since the medal ceremony," Wendell said.

"And, you know, before the meteor," Wesley said.

"Kim would love it."

"Yeah, she would! It's not too late to invite her!"

"I told you before, we're just friends," she said. _Liar_.

"But, Shez–"

"No buts!" she said sternly, holding up a finger.

"Aww," they both whined.

Behind Shego, her brothers copies winked out of existence, but not before each and every one grinned knowingly at each other.

"So, packed and ready to go?" Shego asked, clapping her hands together.

"We sure are," Wesley replied.

"Well, my bike and bag are in the hovercraft, so hop to it, you scallywags."

"Sir, yes sir!" Wendell, replied, giving her a playful salute even as he glowed red and duplicated himself.

She eyed the distant lift as they headed towards the jet. There were places down there she had not visited in years, like her own set of rooms. And that bleak conference room in the basement … where it had all gone wrong. Where Hego had believed the government's version of the tragedy over his own sister's.

She shivered at the memory.

 _Still not ready_ … she thought, pushing it all aside.

She walked up the ramp and into the jet, the cargo hold full of boxes, crates and suitcases. It explained why they needed to take the jet and not her hovercraft. She pursed her lips and said nothing, and made her way into the cockpit.

 _Last time I was in here, I was with Kimmie,_ She smiled in recollection. _When I saved her, and she told me she could pole dance_. She bit her lip. Too late, the sexy image came to mind.

"You were right that Dr. Lipsky could help improve the jet," Wendell said.

"Hmm?" she replied, distractedly.

"The retro-reflectors."

"Yeah. Reflectors," she murmured, slipping into the pilot's seat. She started the pre-flight checks, the Go Jet state of the art. In no time at all it was ready for takeoff, and she raised the jet up to the flight deck and launched them into the sky and on their way to Italy.

~o0o~

Shego ignored the scenery as she drove the rented van along the lakeside highway, Wesley and Wendell sitting beside her. The trip from the airport had been picturesque and sedate and as far as she was concerned boring. Luckily, she had her brothers to talk to, and that they were almost there.

"I can see it!" Wesley announced excitedly, pointing.

Shego glanced further along the lake, past the town they were approaching, and spotted the family estate. It jutted out on a small headland, the stone built mansion European in design. She knew it was much more up-to-date on the inside, but from the outside it certainly shone with old world charm. It went hand in hand with the nearby town, some of its street and buildings antique in design while other parts fashionably modern.

Half an hour later and she was pulling into her adoptive parents estate.

 _Margaret and Alan are home_ , she thought, spying their cars. _And that'll be Henry's_. A much more modest rental car nearby. _Trust him to grab something so boring_.

She parked in front of the main doors and hopped out, glad to be done with driving as she stretched her back.

"Here," she said, tossing the keys to Wesley. "Start unloading, and I'll let everyone know we're here."

"On it," Wesley replied, he and his brother glowing red.

She once had a key to the house, they all did, but hers had been misplaced years ago. Not that she needed one. She could break in in her sleep if she had to. Still, there was no need, they were expected. She rang the doorbell, the sonorous chimes resounding within.

"I'll get it!" a voice called out from inside.

 _Um?_ Shego thought. _That sounded like_ –

The door flew open, Kim standing on the other side.

Shego's instincts towards Kim had always been - fight, but for the first time ever she felt the urge to flee. Emotions swirled as she drank in the sight of the girl who haunted her dreams. Kim stood there smiling, her eyes sparkling as she returned Shego's gaze. Kim looked relaxed, her hair up in a loose ponytail, and she was wearing a red, one-piece bathing suit, a diaphanous sarong wrapped about her slim waist.

"Interesting new look," Kim said, a warm timbre to her voice.

"Customs," Shego mumbled. "It's for getting through customs." She reached up and pulled off her blonde wig and held it protectively against her chest. The blue contacts could wait, she barely had enough brain power for anything else. She had envisaged many scenarios in which they could accidently meet, this was not one of them. It didn't help that Kim was in a bathing suit.

"Hey, guys," Kim called out, looking over Shego's shoulder and waving.

"Hey, Kim," both Wesley and Wendell replied.

 _Um_ … Shego thought, trying to think of something to say.

"I was just about to go for a swim," Kim said. "Interested?"

"I, uh…"

Kim seemed to take pity on her and stepped forwards.

 _Kryptonite!_ Shego thought, freezing up. She was glad for the wig against her chest and clutched it tighter. Arms slid sound around her as Kim pulled her into a hug, their bodies pressing together. A tingle started deep in her belly and spread out, then the embrace was over. Just a friendly hug, nothing more.

"Later then," Kim said, and then she was walking away without another word.

Shego simply stood there and watched. Kim's bathing suit was extremely modest as swimwear went, yet it was sexy as hell as far as she was concerned. The gauzy sarong actually enhanced more than hid Kim's flexing backside, Shego's gaze riveted to the display. She quickly looked away as Kim turned and waved, then Kim disappeared around a corner.

 _She… She just walked away. After all this time, she just walked away. What gives?_

"Wow, imagine that. Kim showing just up here," Wesley said as he walked by.

"Yeah, amazing," Wendell said, stepping around her.

The bad acting from her brothers was more effective than a bucket of cold water. She blinked, took in a shuddering breath, then turned and faced all the duplicates of her brothers. Maybe the originals were in there somewhere, but there was no way to know.

"You knew?" she stated softly, her tone abnormally friendly. Their way-too-innocent faces told her she was right.

"Yup."

"We knew."

"We were sworn to secrecy."

"By Henry. He organized it all."

 _Of course he did, the big lummox. He's always been a sappy romantic_. She headed back and picked up her backpack then flipped up her motorbike's kickstand, fully aware that her brothers were watching her. _I told him no one could know about us, and he went and found a fucking loophole! I'd be proud of him if I wasn't planning to smack him into next year._ She walked her bike towards the garage, ignoring the silent but collective exhalation of relief from her brothers.

She parked her motorbike, and out of sight of everyone she leaned her head against the wall, hands on either side. She was literally shaking. Seeing Kim from a distance, or in a news report, or texting was one thing. To be there in front of her, to be hugged and touched was a completely different beast.

 _I could still run? I've got my bike and my backpack, and could disappear in an instant._ She heard the van start as oneof the boys moved it, and sighed as she pictured a devastated Wesley and Wendell as she skipped out on her birthday. _No! I can do this, for them. Nothing's gonna happen between me and Kimmie! I won't let it! It's for her own good!_

She walked out of the garage to find herself alone, and with a deep breath for courage she headed inside the mansion. Marble floors and chandeliers greeted her, along with the sounds of merriment from out the back of the house. Needing to regroup, she headed up to her old bedroom – only to find it taken.

 _Red suitcase with a pink ribbon on its handle. Women's clothing on the bed_ … A sense of dread swept over her. _Oh - hell - no!_ Anger was better than everything else she was feeling, and now there was a perfect focus for her outlet.

"HENRY!" she screamed out at the top of her lungs.

"It's good to see some things haven't changed," Mrs. Sacks said as she walked into the room. The elderly matriarch of the Sacks family looked Shego up and down, and while she had the sort of face that some would call stern, Shego knew that behind it lay a heart of gold. Short brown hair filled with gray framed her aged features, her piercing blue eyes unwavering against Shego's angry glare. Shego had been on the receiving end of that stare more times than she cared to remember, and rightfully so. She had been a willful and rebellious child.

Mrs. Sacks smiled with warmth and affection as she stepped forwards and clasped Shego's hands.

"Margaret, what the–" Shego bit back the multiple swear words she needed to utter, then remembered she didn't need to. "What the fucks going on?"

"It's lovely to see you too, and so full of life."

"Yes, yes, hugs and kisses!" She squeezed her adoptive mother's hands and stepped back. "Now why the hell is Kimmie in my room?"

"Didn't the boys tell you?" There it was, that imperious attitude that Shego knew so well.

 _Oh, they didn't tell me so many things!_ "Tell me what?"

"The spare room is currently being refurbished."

"What about the other?"

"Well, after your last visit, we converted it into a study."

 _I forgot about that_ , she thought, remembering the massive hole she had blasted through a wall. She had the good grace to look slightly ashamed.

"Alan assured me that the two of you were now the best of friends, and that it wouldn't be an issue." A look of motherly concern crossed her features.

"Yeah, that's all in the past–"

"Then I'm sure you'll be happy to share."

"Wait! No! He must've told you that we've got more going on than that?"

"He did, as did Henry, but I won't have her sleeping in one of the boys rooms."

"But–"

"No, it's settled," she said, patting Shego's arm. And while she had said it calmly, her words were laced with steel. It was a tone that had cowed ambassadors and statesmen alike.

"Fine!" Shego managed to get out, scowling in defeat.

"Come now, what have I always taught you?"

"Some of us aren't international diplomats!" Shego fired back, ignoring the question.

"And some of us have a little too much sass, and should be using their brains instead of arguing!"

~o~

Shego closed and locked her bedroom door, just to be safe. She turned and glared at the open suitcase on the end of her bed, fingers drumming on her arm.

 _Sharing a room with Kimmie. What could possible go wrong?_

She tossed her backpack onto the bed and yanked out her only change of clothes, then loosened her dress and let it fall to the floor. She slipped into some denim shorts and pulled on a loose t-shirt, then poked through Kim's suitcase. It was curiosity tinged with self-preservation, her heart skipping a beat at each piece of underwear she revealed. The silky negligee made her sit down hard, before she stuffed everything back into place.

 _I'm so screwed!_

~o0o~

"HENRY!"

Kim looked up as Shego's yell filtered down to the pool. She wasn't the only one to raise their head, but she was the only one to smile. The angry exclamation brought back fond memories of their fights together, time filtering out the many painful injuries. She bit her lip as she replayed meeting Shego at the door, her would be girlfriend looking so lost and confused and oh-so-cute in that little green dress. It had taken all Kim's willpower to just walk away, but the priceless expression on Shego's face had been worth it. Shego's reaction was the main thing, and it was everything Kim had needed to see. Now she just needed Shego to acknowledge and accept what was there between them, and embrace it.

"It'll be okay," Kim said, directing her words to a pale faced Hego in the pool beside her.

"I assure you, Kim, it won't," Hego replied.

She patted him on the shoulder, but he still moved deeper into the pool until only his head was showing. She was amazed that a grown man who could so effortlessly bend steel, leap tall buildings in a single bound, and become invulnerable was scared of his little sister. Yes, Shego had a volatile temper and flaming hands of doom, but she was still family.

"Honestly, it's no big," Kim said with utter confidence.

"It's not just you or the sharing of the room. There's a lot more between… us," Hego replied.

"A lot," Wesley said, jumping in the pool.

"Yep, so much more," Wendell said, falling into the pool beside his brother.

 _History!_ Kim thought. _She's hinted at this before. That something big happened between her and Hego. Did it… send her into villainy? Wow! That actually makes a kinda sense, and it would explain why she's never mentioned it._ Still, it wasn't the time to ask. "Well, I've got your back." _I've been handling her grumpy moods for years_.

She swam to the edge of the pool as Mrs. Sacks walked into view.

"Margaret, I'm happy to sleep on the sofa if that'll help smooth things over," Kim said.

"Kim, you're our guest, so I won't hear another word on the matter!" Mrs. Sacks replied, in no uncertain terms.

 _Oh!_ "Yes, ma'am," she automatically replied, the authority in that voice taking her back to high school.

Kim went back to enjoying herself in the pool while a part of her mulled over the problem. A part of her didn't want to switch rooms, but she also didn't want to be the cause of friction between Shego and her adoptive family … especially since it was her birthday. She was still thinking about it when a sixth sense made her turn about.

 _There you are_ … are… are… Kim's mouth dropped open, her thoughts trailing away. _Oh my god! Those shorts! Those legs!_

She dragged her eyes up from those delectable thighs to find Shego clenching and unclenching her hands, a green glow flickering about her fingers. Kim followed Shego's gaze to Hego, then watched as she took a step towards him.

 _Uh-oh!_

She thought quickly and grabbed a beach ball, then hurled it with unerring accuracy. You could hear a pin drop as Shego turned to glare at Kim, water dripping down her face. Kim dived under the water and resurfaced in the middle of the pool, safe.

 _Well, I've got her attention. Now I just need t_ o–

Shego's eye twitched, then something seemed to snap inside her. She screamed in rage as she ran and dived into the pool, aiming right for Kim.

 _Geez! A bit more effective than I planned!_ Kim thought.

She silently cheered that Shego was still full of barely contained rage, it was one of her most interesting features. Right now, however, she needed to think about her own safety. Fighting in waist deep water would benefit Shego's enhanced strength, while hindering her own incredible skills. Luckily, there was always a way out. She grabbed an inflatable pool toy and used it to catapult herself up and out and onto the deck. Landing smoothly, she rolled to her feet, Shego already high in the air and hurtling down at her.

"Sheridan!" Mr. Sacks exclaimed in alarm.

"Sheridan Go, stop this at once!" Mrs. Sacks called out.

"Shez!" the Wegos yelled.

"Shego, no!" Hego cried in alarm.

They all had no effect. No one ever did when she was like this.

Kim somersaulted away as Shego landed, smashing apart a deckchair.

 _I've really poked the bear this time_ , Kim thought. She dodged inside a stylish gazebo, only to have Shego come crashing through the latticed wall. _But this is what I've wanted. What I've missed_. She deflected a punch, then another. _Besides, she's not going all out_ , _no glowing hands_. _She just needs to vent_.

"Don't worry, guys! I've got this!" Kim yelled.

It was their first big showdown in more than a year. Sparing with Kimberly or Sheridan only went so far, and she needed Shego to scratch this particular itch. She smiled as she leaped backwards, drawing Shego away from the pool and the surrounding family members.

 _And she's in short shorts and a wet t-shirt_. She almost lost her head as she admired a sweeping leg attack. _Distracted much? I'mma so going to be one big bruise after this!_

She tuned out the shouts of Shego's parents and brothers as she moved the fight further and further away, until she slid to a stop on a winding path amongst the estates immaculately landscaped gardens. At any other time she would love to admire all the trees, flowers and shrubs, but right now…

Shego stopped a few feet away, the two of them breathing hard.

 _We're missing something…_ Kim thought. Gone was the usual banter she was used to, just a rage-filled silence radiating from Shego. _What should I say? Chocolates and flowers are nice, but this is good too? No. Maybe we should we get a room? Definitely not! I've missed you? Too forward. Argh! Remember, play it aloof but friendly. Don't scare her away._

They started to circle each other, Kim fighting the distraction of Shego's wet, clinging t-shirt.

"The silent treatment, Shego?" She threw her an impish grin. "Really not your style." _Oh yeah! Nailed it!_

It was the barest twitch of a thigh muscle that alerted Kim to the impending attack. Shego snarled and leapt, spinning in midair as she unleashed a devastating roundhouse kick at Kim's head.

 _Geez, that's fast! I love it!_ Kim thought, her lightning-reflexes deflecting the kick down and away. Then Shego's glowing fist came at her, a feral glint in those eyes. Kim twisted, the skin on her shoulder blistering instantly. In the blink of an eye, she grabbed Shego's arm and launched herself up and over Shego's head, landing behind her.

They turned to face each other, fists raised.

"About time you turned up to play," Kim said.

Shego snarled as they charged each other, Kim eager to kick things up a notch. She slid along her side then sprang to her feet, dodging and weaving as she held her ground against a series of powerful blows. Cartwheeling out of range, she leaped back in, a smile on her lips as she threw her own blindingly fast punches and kicks. An uppercut to Shego's chin drew blood, while a solid kick to Kim's stomach sent her somersaulting backwards.

As the battle raged on, the angry look on Shego's face … softened. Kim's happiness and enjoyment only increased.

~o~

Shego collapsed to the ground and rolled onto her back, spent. She was physically satiated for the first time in her life, and she basked in its glorious aftermath. Being pushed to her limits and beyond … was more incredible than she had ever dreamed. That it had been with Kim, her one time nemesis, only made it right. She knew that Kim had collapsed as well, but couldn't even open her eyes right now. As for how long they had fought, minutes or hours, it didn't matter. It had been perfect.

 _Fuck, I needed that_ , she thought, her skin flushed a deep, euphoric green.

She listened to Kim's ragged breathing as she raised a limp hand, letting it drop. Everything was too much of an effort right now. She was drenched with sweat and ached all over, as much for the blows taken as for being out of practice. It was a badge of honor as far as she was concerned. With great effort she cracked open an eye and stared unseeing at the tree above, the cool breeze blowing in from the lake a boon for her heated skin.

 _I have super powers_ , she thought, closing her eye. _I don't know how Kimmie managed to last so long._

"That was… incredible," Kim murmured.

Shego listened to Kim drag herself closer, the cute, little grunts making her smirk. She automatically tensed up as fingers touched her shoulder, then they were gone.

"We done?" Kim puffed, weariness in her voice.

"…Yeah…" Shego eventually replied.

"Draw?"

Shego groaned as she levered herself up and looked down at Kim. Kim was lying away from her, Kim's head next to her own. She briefly lost herself in those glittering eyes before Kim looked away, Kim's face holding the same wondrous expression that hers had. They were so close, and Shego found herself admiring … everything, from the sheen of sweat that covered Kim, to the rise and fall of her chest as she recovered. It was here that Shego fixated, no way for Kim's thin swimwear to hide her excitement.

 _No! Bad Shego!_ She looked away. _That's a very bad idea!_ But her competitive side always won when Kim was involved. She half-slid, half-rolled herself closer to Kim and then threw an arm across her, pinning her to the ground. Kim's startled squeak was music to her ears, though the searing warmth that flowed up her arm almost derailed her thoughts. Luckily she wasn't serious about holding Kim down, but it would be enough.

"One-two-three, I win!" Shego quickly announced, then she collapsed back onto the grass.

"Why– Why you…" Kim grumbled.

"Yeees…?"

"Fine!" Kim huffed. "It's your birthday."

"Damn straight it is!"

She went back to staring at the tree above, a dreamy smile on her face.

She had made a pitch to Kim, well, it seemed like years ago now, that they become sparring partners. All because she had been bored and since they were no longer on opposite sides of the law. She had fantasized what it would be like, but that had paled in comparison to the real thing. How they had thrown themselves at each other again and again as they rekindled the magic of their impossible dance. Using the entire area, trees, garden structures, and each other to literally launch themselves higher and higher into the air, seemingly breaking the laws of physics. Then they had plummeted back to earth, only to start their elaborate aerial duel once again.

It should have been impossible. Just like Shego's glowing hands and comet powers. But it wasn't.

No words to describe it.

Shego glanced sideways at Kim, still hardly believing how much – well, pleasure, she had gotten from the encounter. Kim's reaction during the fight, plus her euphoric afterglow, told Shego everything she needed to know. She smiled as she pushed up her sodden shirt to scratch her stomach, then realized she would be giving Kim a show. She also realized that her attire wasn't the best choice for fighting in either. Hell as soaked with sweat as she was, she was damned close to giving Kim a wet t-shirt display.

 _Know what? Fuck it! It's a small price to pay for perfection._ "Told you it'd be great without the Troublesome Trio to mess things up."

"Troublesome Trio?" Kim queried.

"Ronald, the rat, and Dr. D."

"Hey! They're not. And It's Rufus. I know you know his name, and that he's a naked mole-rat!"

"Potato, potahto."

Shego chuckled at Kim's follow up raspberry, but she was too tired to respond.

"Geez, how long were we at it, anyways?" Kim asked after a while.

Shego glanced at the sun. "A little over two hours, I'd say."

"Wow! That's totally spankin!"

It was such a Kim thing to say that Shego rolled her eyes, her brain starting to work again. The first thing it pointed out was that she was lying in a flower bed … with Kim. Her second and third thoughts pointed this out as well. She had done her best to avoid Kim, yet here they were. Such was life, the universe, and everything.

 _She's here, so 'deal with it', as Margaret would sa_ y.

She groaned as she sat up, even more so as she stood up, a hand on the tree for support. She could feel her legs threatening to collapse, but she quickly told them who was boss. Besides, it was a much nicer view from up here. Kim's hair was splayed about her as she lay there, her tired eyes unfocused. Shego's heart rate increased for a different reason this time.

 _She's cute, she likes me, and we're alone…_

"There you are!" Wesley called out as he came into view.

Shego whipped her eyes up and away from Kim and focused on her approaching brother. She knew where her thoughts had been going. One little fight with Kim and her resolve had almost crumbled. She wanted to kick herself, or rant and rave, but that would have to wait as Wesley stopped beside them.

"Wow! You two are a mess," Wesley announced.

"Part of the fun," Shego said as she held out a hand to Kim, then flexed it as Kim stared at it in surprise.

"We're not that bad," Kim replied as she took Shego's hand.

Shego gently pulled Kim to her feet, noticing her wince in pain. It stood out after Wesley's comment, and she quickly took stock of Kim's condition. Kim sported a wide variety of injuries from their afternoon of 'fun'. Bruises marred her perfect skin, some already quite dark, along with blisters, scrapes, cuts, and scratches.

 _And I'll look the same_ , Shego thought.

"Oh. Um. I, ah. I'll… head home and let everyone know you're okay. That you're done," Wesley said as he glanced between the two of them. "Yes. Home." He grinned at them. "Gotta run!" He ran off, punching the air as he went.

Shego frowned in confusion as she watched him disappear, then realized why. For some reason she had slipped a supporting arm around Kim's waist and that Kim was leaning against her with a dreamy smile on her face.

"Wes, it's–" she yelled after him, her voice trailing off. _It's not what you think._

Before she could disentangle herself from Kim, or even say anything more, Kim actually stepped away. It was the look on her face that troubled Shego, it was a smug look of a victory well-earned.

"He's right, you know?" Kim said.

"What?" Shego snapped.

"We should be getting back."

Kim didn't wait for a reply as she slowly, gingerly walked away. That she was once again leaving Shego's side without being asked was a curious and worrying sign. The sight of Kim's bare back, slim waist, and that ass in lycra didn't help either. Shego shook her head and caught up, throwing Kim some furtive glances as they ambled towards home, side by side. Something was up and she needed to work out what.

 _You've been chasing me for months. Why aren't you, I don't know, asking me out! Or trying to jump me_. She saw Kim wince again, which brought her back to the here and now. They had always fought and then gone their separate ways, never truly socializing afterwards. _I don't care if DNAmy's machine did heal all your scars, you were being reckless!_

"Don't think I didn't notice what you did back there," Shego said.

"Whatever do you mean?" Kim replied, her wide, innocent eyes a tad overdone.

"The way you took so many hits, on purpose!"

"You were stressed and upset, I could see that. And, well, I know we've used our fights in the past to chill."

 _Such a Pixie Scout!_ She frowned in concern at one of Kim's wounds, her fingers itching to check it over. She had done this to her. And it skirted awfully close to when Kim had died in her arms, and to the loss of Rachel. She resisted the call to help, and instead went back to staring at the ground as she analyzed Kim's behavior.

 _Is she no longer interested in me? Found someone else? And why am I worried about any of it? We're not going to date. We're not even going to have sex, again!_

"So, birthday?" Kim piped up.

"Yeah," Shego replied, happy for the distraction.

"Really born in nineteen thirty?"

"Uh-huh."

"'Cause of the meteor?"

"Got it in one."

"Can we talk about it?"

"Nope!"

They walked in silence for a while.

"Shez is a cute nickname," Kim said. "I like."

"Use it and end up in traction!" Shego growled in reply.

"Perhaps Sheridan, then?" Kim asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Only if you want me to start calling you Kim."

They looked at each other."

"Okay, that just sounded plain wrong," Kim said.

"Agreed," Shego replied.

They reached a gate separating the estate's gardens from the main house, Kim holding it open. Shego grunted and walked through, already seeing how this weekend would go.

"Oh, and that fight totally doesn't count as your present," Kim said.

~o0o~

Kim stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, her hair freshly washed. She grimaced at the kaleidoscope of dark, angry bruises and lacerations that marred her skin. Luckily, none of them required stitches. Even with all her aches and pains and injuries, she was on cloud nine.

 _It was a messy, scrappy fight_. She moved a little as she replayed some of Shego's attacks, hands rising to block the phantom blows. _I took a few. Shego took a few._

 _And it was all totally worth it._

She traced a finger around a particularly colorful bruise.

 _She so likes me!_

She hummed with happiness as she grabbed her panties.

 _And for a split-second I know she wanted more._ She gingerly slipped on her bra. _If only Wesley hadn't of shown up._

She tilted her head as she heard the bedroom door slam open, closely followed by a banging on the bathroom door.

"You done?" Shego called out. "How's the damage?"

 _She's such a worrywart. Who knew?_ "I'm fine. Never better."

"I'll be the judge of that!"

Kim smiled at the reply as she wrapped a towel around her hair, then she opened the bathroom cabinet and went looking for the medkit that she had been told was there. It was better safe than sorry with an open wound, or many, and she also didn't want to bleed on any of their wonderful furniture. She grabbed the large medical kit and dropped it on the benchtop, and opened it up.

 _This is as good as I've got at home. Guess Margaret and Alan had a handful in raising Shego_.

"You coming out or not?" Shego said.

"Some of us need to get dressed, and to look after our wounds. Be patient."

Kim covered her mouth at Shego's snort of frustration. She could so easily picture her pacing back and forth in annoyance.

"Look, just open the door and I'll help," Shego snapped.

 _She's honestly worried. I guess we've never truly socialized after fighting each other_. She held her breath as she remembered Shego's goodbye video. _Me getting injured is one of the reasons she left. Is this bringing up bad memories for her?_

She made a snap decision.

"Hang on a sec," she called out.

She quickly wrapped a towel around herself then unlocked the door, and stepped back as it was shoved open. Shego walked in, her worried frown relaxing a little. There was no sign of her interest from before, just her tightly clenched hands as she looked at Kim's injuries. Or as much as she could see with a fluffy white towel in the way.

"Dammit, Kimmie! You shouldn't have to be my punching bag!"

"I get to decide that," Kim replied.

Shego stepped forwards. Kim met her step for step, glare for glare. She would never back down when Shego was involved, no matter how complicated it made their relationship. Even if she did relent, Shego would immediately know something was wrong. She however ached to reach out and take Shego's hand. Months of being apart and they were so close. She knew it would be the wrong thing to do, but the heat radiating from Shego made her lightheaded.

 _Be good, Kim. Be good._

"You. Bed," Shego said, grabbing the medkit.

 _Wha?_ Kim's brain went on an erotic journey before it finally caught up. "I'm fine. I can look after myself."

"No, you can't." Shego dropped to her knees and gently lifted one of Kim's ankles. "Look, for this you'll need–"

Years of training kept Kim's expression neutral at the heated touch, though she would've received a sharp rap over the knuckles from her sensei for her flaring nostrils. Shego's warm hand … held her, while dextrous fingers caressed bruised and tender flesh. Her eyes fluttered shut and her knees threatened to buckle, and she braced herself against the counter.

 _Ohhh... GEEZ!_

She stifled a moan as the gentle examination continued, goosebumps racing up and down her spine.

 _H-Higher! T-Touch me… higher!_

Playing the long game suddenly seemed like a distant fantasy. She was here with Shego, and they were alone. Why fight it. She dug her nails into her palms to maintain some modicum of control, the heavenly exam going on and on. She was too distracted to pay attention to anything else until an excited gasp from the doorway caused her to open her eyes.

"I– I came–" Hego muttered, a goofy grin on his face. He cleared his throat, and tried again "I came to let you know that dinner's ready."

Kim looked at him, then down at Shego kneeling before her, and realized that her towel had fallen away. How their positions would look to the outside world was easy to imagine. Shego could apparently imagine it as well, her cheeks flushing a dark green even as anger filled her eyes.

"Life, love and Lady Liberty have triumphed once again," Hego announced, hands held excitedly against his face. "Illseeyoutwolovebirdsdownstairs!" he quickly rattled off, then he turned and ran.

Kim blushed a deep red as she scrabbled for her lost towel. It was totally embarrassing being caught in just her underwear, but she thanked her lucky stars the set she was wearing was plain and unadorned. No worse than some bikinis. The major factor for her was Shego. She hadn't been prepared for Shego to see her like this, and especially from such a suggestive angle.

"Henry, it's not–" Shego called out. She growled as she sprung to her feet, chasing after her brother. "Get back here, you moron! It's not what you think!"

Kim took a deep breath and tightened her grip on her towel, then walked over and quietly shut the bathroom door, locking it.

"I said, get back here!" Shego yelled, her distant voice muffled by the door.

"Well, that all happened," Kim murmured. _I guess… happy birthday Shego_.

~o0o~

Shego punched her pillow and lay back down on the couch, settling herself in for the night. Her bedroom and most especially her bed were clearly not an option. Kim would be waiting for her, maybe even in that sexy negligee she had discovered earlier. This made sleeping on the lounge her best and only option. Tomorrow she could see about somewhere else, but for now she was too tired to think. She turned the television down, snuggled under her sheet and closed her eyes, her thoughts naturally drifting back to earlier in the day.

 _Yeah, I'm so gonna strand Henry on a desert island with a thousand DNAmy mutated, bloodthirsty fleas!_

~o0o~

The summer storm rolled over Middleton, lightning flashing across the sky as rain lashed the sleeping town. In an outer suburb, an unassuming house stood with all the other houses in the street, each and every inhabitant blissfully unaware of the downpour as they slept through the night. Upstairs in this ordinary looking house was a large bedroom, and at first glance it looked like any normal kid's while growing up. Against one wall were the obligatory bookcases, filled with comics, graphic novels, books, and miniatures. Near the doorway was a small, neatly made, and currently inhabited bed, the surrounding walls festooned with posters, not of musicians, but of Einstein, Tyson, and other famous scientists.

A closer inspection showed that the simple wooden door leading into the room was covered in a wide variety of electronic sensors, while the far end of the room housed a high-tech workbench, surrounded by various gadgets and gizmos that any super-villain or clandestine government agency would be proud to have. Along one whole wall were monitors, terminals, and computers, all whirring away, turning the bedroom into the most advanced control facility on the planet.

 _Eureka!_

Wade sat bolt upright in his bed and threw the sheets aside, his room briefly illuminated by a flash of lighting.

 _It was so obvious!_

He stumbled out of bed and promptly fell over, a foot caught in the sheets. Kicking his way free, he stood, then trod on a four-sided dice. He whimpered in pain, but refused to be defeayed by a simple Magic Missile spell. Hobbling forwards, he stubbed his toe, rebounded off a server, before finally, and safely, landing in his central command chair.

 _Ow_ , he thought, rubbing the sleep from his watering eyes.

He leaned forwards and tapped his computer's mouse, turning his head as the bright light from all the surrounding monitors hit his face. There behind his eyelids was the algorithm he had been trying to crack for months - the hard-light touch sensitivity algorithm. He squinted as he turned back to his main screen, lightning flashing behind him as he began to type, fingers slow at first, but quickly becoming a blur of activity.

Ominous thunder filled the room as he finally sat back, all done after an hour of tireless work. He looked over the finished code and smiled. It was beautiful, like a symphony written by Beethoven. Months of frustrating work culminating in this masterpiece.

 _I've done it! I've actually done it._

A mad scientist would cackle about now. He drummed his hands on his desk in victory, then rubbed his aching foot.

 _This will change the world._

More lightning flashed, and he grinned manically.

 _This will change… everything!_

 **~o0o~**


	8. A Night To Remember

**~o0o~**

 _Shego floated above the hallway, the dreamscape of her adoptive parents mansion an indistinct haze around her. She smiled at Wesley and Wendell in their cute, matching bear costumes as she passed them by, and snickered at the vibrant pink tutu Hego was decked out in; ballet shoes and all as he pirouetted on a table. It all meant something to her, but right now she couldn't think of what because of her concern for Kim._

 _She landed outside her bedroom, or Kim's, or maybe theirs, and flung the door open, but there was no sign of Kim. Frowning, she marched over to the bathroom door and banged on it._

 _"You done?" she called out. "How's the damage?"_

 _"I'm fine. Never better," Kim replied._

 _"I'll be the judge of that!" she said, throwing up her hands in annoyance. She sat on the edge of the bed and glared at the barrier separating the two of them, It bothered her more than she could put into words. A whole ten seconds passed before she leaped to her feet and moved back to the door, the situation intolerable_

 _"You coming out or not?" she growled._

 _"Some of us need to get dressed, and to look after our wounds," Kim replied. "Be patient."_

 _Shego snorted in frustration and began to pace back and forth._

 _"Look, just open the door and I'll help," she snapped._

 _She raised a glowing fist as she gauged the strength of the door. Kim's injuries, the unknown, they were too close to the bottomless pit of pain that was her loss of Rachel. She needed to know that Kim was truly okay, bombarded by the knowledge that this was how Kim had ended up after their past fights._

 _"Hang on a sec," Kim called out._

 _Shego sighed in relief as the handle turned, then she shoved the door open and stepped inside. She relaxed a little at seeing Kim, or as much as she could see with a fluffy white towel in the way. It hid more than she wanted, more than she needed, her chest tightening at all the colorful bruises that marred Kim's skin._

 _"Dammit, Kimmie! You shouldn't have to be my punching bag!"_

 _"I get to decide that," Kim replied._

 _Shego stepped forwards. Kim met her step for step, glare for glare. She would never back down when Kim was involved, no matter how complicated it made everything. Even if she did retreat, Kim would immediately know something was up. Right now, she ached to reach out and take Kim's hand. All these months of being apart and here they were, so close. She needed to be strong, but the want building within could only be denied for so long._

 _"You. Bed," she said, grabbing the medical kit and pointing over her shoulder._

 _"I'm fine. I can look after myself," Kim replied._

 _"No, you can't." She dropped to her knees and gently lifted one of Kim's ankles. "Look, for this you'll need a delicate touch."_

 _She paused and looked up into wide eyes, warm, delectable skin beneath her fingertips. It was a trap, and one that she had set and sprung herself._

 _She wanted Kim._

 _Kim wanted her._

 _Consequences be damned._

 _The dream world faded away, leaving only the bench that Kim was leaning against._

 _Shego shuffled closer and ran her hand up Kim's leg, then past her knee to the soft, silken skin of her inner thigh. Kim shivered beneath her, offering no complaint. Slowly, as if expecting resistance, she parted the towel to reveal Kim's slim waist, perfect abs, and panties, the underwear plain white, functional and very much in the way. They needed to go, now. She hooked her fingers under their waistband, Kim's fingers curling in her hair as she inched them down. She pulled them to Kim's knees and drank in the sight of her arousal, then slid the underwear the rest of the way down and tossed them aside._

 _Biting her lip, she eagerly positioned herself between Kim's parting legs._

" _Shego, yes!" Kim begged, arching back._

 _Shego needed no further urging as she placed tender, needy kisses along Kim's stomach, bringing breathless whimpers from above. She made her way down … down … as she savored the heady smell of Kim's excitement, inhaling deeply. It was a scent she remembered well, the tantalizing aroma shifting her libido into overdrive. And the memory of that taste, it called to her._

 _An exploratory kiss disappeared between velvety folds, turning into deep, fervent licks._

" _Ohhh…! Oh God! Oh God! Oh! Oh…!" Kim softly cried as she pulled Shego closer._

 _Shego suddenly found her head held in a vice-like grip as Kim ground against her face, her lover's need superseding her own. She no longer knew who was doing who, and didn't care. The sweat, the heat, the aphrodisiac taste on her tongue, it was all as intoxicating as fuck. She willingly surrendered as Kim increased her tempo, her face soaked in Kim's arousal._

 _A low, deep moan escaped her throat._

 _"D-Don't– Gawd! P-Please don't stooop!" Kim softly cried as she continued to grind her hips into Shego._

 _Shego held on tight as she sucked on those beautiful, swollen lips, her rapidly flicking tongue eliciting a chorus of breathless exclamations from above. She raked her nails down Kim's ass even as she undid her own shorts, a hand disappearing between her legs to pleasure herself. This was going to be good. This was going to be big. And this time there was no annoying brother to stop–_

"Shez?"

That name, that voice, it thundered through her dream world, yet she resisted the call to wake.

"Shez, you okay?"

Shego opened her eyes and looked up into worried face of Hego, his hand gently shaking her shoulder.

"Mmnwutizzit…?" she croaked, more asleep than awake.

"I think you were having a nightmare?" Hego said.

She blinked a few times before the full force of her erotic dream hit her, then she turned a brilliant shade of green. Sitting up, she pulled the sheet around herself. She tingled all over, a tight, needy heat that ached to be released, made even worse by the fact that Kim was just upstairs.

Hego backed away at her frustrated glare.

"Breakfast will be ready soon," he said, from behind the safety of a chair. "Margaret says you should go wake Kim."

She didn't know what expression she gave him, but it was enough to make him leave the room in a hurry.

 _Why?_ she thought.

She collapsed against the sofa, staring at the ceiling.

 _Why'd he have to wake me?_

She adjusted her position, biting her lip at the delicious sensations running through her. She had been so close in the dream, and so much closer in real life. If she had her own room or bathroom right now, she would be a very happy person with only a few moments of frantic activity. Unfortunately, she didn't have any privacy. Kim occupied her room and her her life for the next few weeks.

 _Maybe a shower? Even if Kimmie is outside_? She pondered this option. _No. No way. Not happening_.

She cleared her mind as best she could, then headed upstairs. Behind her, she listened to the happy, family sounds coming from the kitchen. That wasn't her, not for years. Not since the meteor. However, it did mean she had the whole upstairs to herself. Well, herself and Kim.

She walked along the hallway and stopped at her bedroom door, a hand on the doorknob.

 _She could've just hopped out of the shower_ … The erotic dream was suddenly there. _Or changing_ … Again with the sexy dream. _Or sleeping in that negligee_ …

She dragged her hands down her face to rid herself of the provocative images. It didn't work, but her annoyance with everything else did. She glared at the door as if it was somehow personally responsible for her woes, then knocked. There was no immediate answer, so she opened it and stepped inside. It was dark and quiet in her room, a sleeping shape curled up under the sheet on the bed.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," she quietly called out.

There was no response.

"Kimmie, time to wake up."

Still no response.

She rolled her eyes and walked over to the bed, a feeling of déjà vu washing over her. She had been here before, Kim injured and needing to be woken. With how Kim had been after yesterday's scuffle, she was betting that Kim would barely be able to move this morning.

 _I heal fast, she doesn't. Hm… maybe she'll be out of it for the whole week?_

She perked up at the prospect. Looking after Kim for a few days or more left her in the dominant role, and that was a situation she could handle. She hummed a happy little ditty as she sat on the edge of the bed

"Kimmie," she said, reaching over and resting a hand on her side.

There was no reaction.

She let her amused gaze roam over Kim's sheet-covered form as she pondered her options. There was a time when the mere sound of her voice had sent Kim into a defensive stance, ready for action. And now here they were sleeping in the same house, potentially the same bed.

 _How the mighty have fallen._

She was never one to let her dreams and nightmares dictate her actions, well not for long anyways. Besides, it would be much more fun to wake Kim face to face. She nimbly shuffled across the bed and sat cross-legged next to Kim, a hand ending up on Kim's hip.

"Kimmie, time to wake up," she said, gently prodding Kim's side.

"Five more minutes…" Kim mumbled, clutching her pillow tighter.

"Up, now!"

"One more minute…"

"How about ten seconds? Then I drag your sorry ass outta bed."

"But I'm on holiday?" Kim whined, cracking open an eye.

"Don't care."

She removed her hand as Kim rolled onto her back, offering no complaint as Kim ended up against her. One small body shouldn't produce so much heat, and it seared into her. Kim stretched beneath the sheet then smiled at her, Kim's hair a disheveled mess. She looked incredibly cute, wild, and untamed, and everything that Shego was trying to resist. Desire, want, need, all rolled up into a cute little ball of kryptonite called Kim Possible.

"Wow, I didn't even hear you get up," Kim said, rubbing her eyes.

 _Um?_ Shego thought.

"Didn't hear you come to bed, either."

"You didn't?" Shego's said, surprised.

"Yeah, I was out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow."

 _She didn't wait up for me?_

"Had more jet lag than I thought. And after that impromptu sparring match… Well, I was running on fumes."

 _Ah_ , Shego thought, understanding kicking in.

"I love your pajamas," Kim stated.

Shego glanced down at her overly large Wham! t-shirt then back at Kim. Even though the shirt was a dirty white, its image faded, it was a favorite of hers. It begged the question, what had Kim slept in – the negligee or something more mundane. Her question was answered as Kim freed her arms from beneath the sheet, and Shego was relieved to see regular pajamas.

"Knock Wham! and we're gonna have words!" Shego stated.

"Oh, I wouldn't. I just never pegged you for a fan?"

"I'm an eighties girl by accident, so George is my boy." She straightened her shirt to give Kim a better view. It felt nice just sitting here and chatting, no sex or relationship questions in the way, and no world ending dilemmas for either of them to worry about. "After the meteor, there was this scientist who loved playing their songs every chance she got. They were so different to everything I had grown up with."

She grimaced as she remembered the fateful day that she and her brothers had escaped the government facility.

"Dr. Patterson, Jane, she was–"

That last bit had just slipped out.

She could see that Kim desperately wanted to question her on that name, but she didn't.

"So," Kim said, breaking the silence between them.

"So?" Shego replied.

"What are our plans for the day?"

"Well, right now, breakfast. So hurry up and get dressed, or I'm throwing you under the bus for why we're late."

They sat there and looked at each other for a few seconds before Shego realized that she was the one stopping Kim from getting up. She hadn't moved from Kim's side since she had sat down. She feigned ignorance as she admired her nails, no reason to make things easy for Kim; at least until she was asked. Kim huffed as she tugged the sheet aside and sat up, then she did an almighty stretch. It pulled her top up, and Shego's gaze naturally drifted back to what was on display: a perfect waist and cute, little belly button.

She bit her lip then frowned, something wrong.

 _Where are the bruises? She should be black and blue all over_. She looked at Kim's bare arms, neck and face, no evidence of yesterday's tussle. She scooted closer and grabbed the hem of Kim's shirt, Kim grabbing her wrist.

"Kimmie, what that hell?"

"What?!" Kim replied, holding on tight to Shego's hand.

"Your bruises?" Shego snapped. "Where are they?"

"Oh! Um, would you believe a miracle?"

"No!"

"Then how about DNAmy?"

Shego stopped in mid-tirade. It made perfect sense, and at the same time it didn't.

"Take your top off! Lemme see!" she demanded.

Kim's wide eyes were accompanied by a gasp from behind, and Shego turned to see Wendell standing in the doorway.

"Henry was right," Wendell whispered, breaking into a smile. He grabbed the door and started to pull it shut. "Breakfast is ready, better hurry."

"Wen, it's not–" The door closed. _It's not what you think_. She stared at the wooden barrier for a few seconds before rounding on Kim. "This is all your fault!"

"Me?" Kim squeaked.

~o0o~

 _Time to face the music_ , Kim thought, looking out the car window.

She had not planned for this day to happen, but things had snowballed over breakfast. The trip to San Siro had started out as a simple question about the picturesque town by herself, then a suggestion by Hego, followed by an enthusiastic chorus from Wesley and Wendell, and finally an emphatic 'yes' by Mrs. Sacks. After that there had been a whirlwind of activity, and before Kim knew it they were all headed into town. All except Shego. Now it was late in the evening, and Kim knew that Shego would be really annoyed with her.

 _She'll think I spent the entire day trying to avoid her questioning me about my healing_.

She glanced at the large takeaway meal in her lap, then back at the unlit mansion before them. While spending time at the local festival had followed her plan of being aloof but friendly, Shego had emphatically told her 'We'll talk about you and your healing after breakfast' – and then they hadn't.

 _Yeah, the local cuisine ain't gonna smooth this one over_.

She sighed and leaned against the window, looking up at the approaching mansion. It looked even more impressive in just the moonlight, its architecture doing strange things to the eye. She put it down to her mindset and who would be waiting for her.

 _In the old days we'd just throw some punches and kicks at each other when we had a problem_. She sighed in fond remembrance _. Never thought words would be so much more complicated than a flaming fist_.

She exited the car and headed inside with everyone else, a few Wesley and Wendell copies turning on the lights ahead of them. In a few moments the house went from dark and foreboding to warm and welcoming, Kim looking around for Shego. She wasn't in the lounge or the living room, so Kim trotted into the kitchen to put the takeaway in the oven.

 _Guess she's up in her room. I'll just_ –

"She'll be out by the pool," Mr. Sacks said from behind.

"The pool?" Kim replied.

"I know my daughter, so that's where she'll be. There's a lot of happy memories for her out there."

Kim had learned quite a few things over the last day and a half, and the most surprising fact was that she was not the world's foremost expert on Shego like she had believed. Shego had a family, had grown up with them, while Kim had only known her for a few years. Intense, dramatic years, but not that long in the scheme of things. She thanked Mr. Sacks and headed out into the backyard, easily spotting Shego on a deckchair by the pool. Shego had her eyes closed and some headphones on, and was still in the same shirt as this morning, but with the addition of her denim shorts from yesterday. She looked asleep or at least very relaxed, and Kim found herself loathe to disturb her.

 _She looks fine. Guess I was overreacting for no reason._

"How was your day?" Shego asked, opening her eyes. "Did you have a nice time?"

"It was great,"Kim replied, her Spidey senses tingling.

"That's wonderful," Shego exclaimed, her expression warm and friendly. "You'll have to tell me all about it over dinner?"

 _Ohhh, geeez! This is bad!_ She could see behind the veil. _She's being waaay too nice. She's super mega-pissed._

She steeled herself for the oncoming storm and headed around the pool, meeting Shego halfway. They ended up only a foot apart, Shego's hands on her hips. Kim found it totally unfair that she couldn't just take Shego's hand or give her a hug without everything else coming into play, since Shego looked absolutely stunning in this light. Then there was the heat radiating from her body, totally compounding Kim's issues. She made sure she kept her eyes up, knowing she would be lost if she admired those long legs.

"Cute," Shego said, pointing at Kim's face.

"Isn't it?" Kim replied, touching her cheek where she'd had some face painting done.

"A cat?"

"Uh-huh, a black one. I'm actually thinking about adopting a kitty."

"S'funny."

"What's that?"

"I'm a cat person too."

Kim felt the enormous possibilities opening up around them with that simple connection, but there was still Shego's suppressed anger to worry about. She held back a happy gasp as Shego lightly touched the artwork on her cheek, then Shego seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly pulled her hand back. Kim pushed her giddy emotions down, watching as Shego rubbed her paint-tinted fingers together.

"Kimmie–"

"Shego–"

Before Kim could continue, Shego's gaze narrowed over her shoulder.

"I'll meet you inside, I need to have a talk with my brother, "Shego said, her voice filled with menacing overtones. "

Kim turned to find Hego out by the pool in his swimming trunks, a towel over his broad shoulders. They had all talked about a late night swim once they got home, Hego the first to arrive on this balmy summer's eve. Kim's gaze darted between Shego and Hego, seeing all of Shego's bottled up anger coming into play.

 _She's actually angry at Hego, not me? But why? We've been in town all day._

Kim found Shego's hand on her shoulder as she was gently but firmly ushered inside, then she was left to stare out through the window as Shego went and talked with Hego. Kim could not hear what was being said, but the conversation seemed to start out friendly enough. That did not last long. The exasperation in Hego's body language became obvious, as was the annoyance in Shego's. And as biased as Kim was towards Shego, she was proud that Hego was standing up to his sister.

 _Should I intervene?_ she thought as Shego's and Hego's gestures became even more emphatic.

"It's interesting, isn't it?" Mrs. Sacks said from behind.

"Pardon?" Kim said, glancing over her shoulder.

"The way she fights over you."

 _Is she? No way! But is she? They're certainly arguing, but is it really about me?_

"She just doesn't realize it," Mrs. Sacks said, moving up next to Kim. "I love her dearly, and all I want is for her to be happy again. But she's been through so much."

"I know she lost someone," Kim said, her fingers touching the image of Shego through the glass.

"What happened to her was horrible, horrendous. As was everything else they went through."

 _Oh? Her brothers as well? Geez, what actually happened after the meteor? I have pieces of the puzzle, but still know so little._

"She was so angry with the world for so long," Mrs. Sacks said, staring out the window. "Then one day she shows up out of the blue, and tells me she's going into villainy."

That topic certainly caught Kim's attention, pulling her away from the shenanigans going on outside.

"In a roundabout way she wanted my understanding, and for everything to be okay between us," Mrs. Sacks said. "I'd just been confirmed as the head of a U.N department tasked with meta-human, super-villain, and human interaction, and she knew her actions would raise a serious conflict of interest for me."

"What did you do?" Kim asked, softly.

"As a mother, her mother." She gave Kim a tight smile. "I gave her my blessing."

 _Wow!_

"And I've never regretted it."

Kim squeezed Mrs. Sacks hands in support. She could see the strong emotions in the woman's eyes even after all these years, and it was the decision she hoped her own mother would make if their roles were reversed. That her mom had already backed her on her same sex relationship brought up a sense of kinship with Mrs. Sacks. She decided that now was the perfect time to ask a certain question, one that she knew Shego would never answer.

"Team Go, the real reason it fell apart, was it because of what happened between her and Henry?" Kim asked.

"Interesting question," Mrs. Sacks replied. She pursed her lips as she studied Kim. "You're quite astute, I'll have to remember that."

Kim flashed her a smile, then returned to watching the goings on outside. She was just in time to see Shego poke Hego in the shoulder with a glowing finger which resulted in an eruption of blue and green sparks and a loud crack. Kim jumped and came down in a fighting stance, but she quickly registered that Mrs. Sacks hadn't reacted at all. Clearly she was used to the unique and violent interaction of her adopted children's glows.

~o0o~

Kim sat in her bed, or Shego's, or possible theirs as she not-so-patiently waited to see if Shego would join her tonight. She understood why Shego had played hooky last night, yet she felt things were different now. Shego had returned to her normal snarky self after her explosive talk with Hego, so the rest of the evening had been fairly relaxed between everyone involved.

 _Why am I even bothering to read?_

She huffed and dropped her book onto her lap, realizing that she wasn't taking a thing in. She had far too much nervous energy running through her system right now.

 _Lesbian erotica's probably not the best thing to be reading, anyways._

She put her book aside and reached for her tablet. It was time to distract herself with the internet.

 _Let's see what's on MyTube_.

She was one cat video in when the door opened, Shego stepping inside.

"We need to talk!" Shego stated, before Kim could offer a greeting.

 _Uh-oh!_ Kim thought. Those were not the sort of words you wanted to hear and certainly not in that tone. She crossed her legs to make more room on the bed, but got a shaken head of no in return.

"Get dressed," Shego said, her gaze lingering on the bathroom door. "We're going out!"

"Where– I mean, okay. What should I wear?" Kim called out as Shego left the room.

"Something comfortable," came the reply as the door closed.

 _Well, that was strange_ , Kim thought.

She jumped out of bed and rummaged through her suitcase for something appropriate. Comfortable covered most of what she had brought, so she was spoilt for choice. Shego's ominous wording had already been pushed aside, and now she was wholly focused on this late light, clandestine rendezvous with her paramour. It all sounded so mysterious, and she couldn't change fast enough. She almost fell over a few times as she hurriedly pulled on her shorts, a top chosen completely at random. She added some deodorant, and put her hair up in a ponytail, then gave herself the once over in a mirror.

 _Yep, this'll do_ , she thought, and reached for the door.

~o~

 _I should've brought all this picnic stuff up with me the first time_ , Shego thought, a picnic basket and an outdoor blanket in her hands. _I knew she'd be awake, waiting for me_. She continued to grumble to herself as she marched along the hallway, Kim foremost in her thoughts. She didn't want her to be, but a sexy morning dream will do that to you. Her weakening resolve clashed with the fantasy as it blossomed into something new.

 _So she buys me dinner, and expects me to sleep with her– Sleep in the bed with her! Sleep in the bed!_

She dragged a hand down her face.

 _Argh! Head out of the gutter, girl. Get yer head out of the gutter, and in the game._

She stopped at her bedroom door and adjusted her load.

 _Kimmie in some sweats, and then we can hash things out. Grill her on why the hell she can heal, and stuff. Margaret's always said that talking's the best, and Dr. Erikson's wanted me to open up with Kimmie for a while now_. She patted the basket, the clink of bottles coming from inside. _But I'm gonna do it my way_. _Some liquid courage for me, and it'll be fun to boot_.

 _We'll talk, and then we can_ –

The door opened before she could knock, her jaw dropping.

 _Then we can_ –

Kim stood before her in a sexy crop top and shorts, her cheeks lightly flushed.

 _We can_ –

 _Fuck!_

Yes, she had said 'something comfortable', but she had not expected this. Somewhere in the background she acknowledged that Kim's outfit wasn't that revealing, but those mostly bare shoulders and toned abs screamed at her to climb them. She dragged her eyes back up to Kim's face, that taught, bare midriff and cute, little belly button - well, they took her breath away. She quickly brushed past Kim and energetically kicked the door shut, receiving a quizzical look in return. It was too cute, her resistance crumbling once again. She smiled as she brushed her hair back, Kim smiling in return. Having miles of ocean between the two of them had been her saving grace, now here they were. Real life, it was far more alluring than any lonely island fantasy.

 _I didn't think this plan through!_

"Here, let me help," Kim said, moving in close to relieve Shego of the blanket.

 _Damn, she smells good!_

"That looks heavy?" Kim said, pointing at the basket. "What's in it?"

"Yeah, it's– You should get it pierced," Shego blurted out.

She had said it without thinking, no way to take it back. She had an up close view as her meaning sunk in, Kim's eyes going wide as she protectively covered her navel.

"Oh, I-I couldn't. It'd hurt too much," Kim said.

 _It'd hurt? That's bullshit!_ "Kimmie, you fight super-villains, aliens, and giant robots, and you're worried about a piercing?"

"They're different! Getting a piercing would be way worse!"

Shego stared dumbfoundedly at Kim. She had always assumed that the reason was because of Kim's hero work, not a silly little thing like this. An idea came to her, and she liked it. Kim needed a piercing, and she was just the one to make it happen. And since Kim was currently staying with her, she had the perfect opportunity.

 _Where to start?_ She pictured Kim with pierced ears. _Or… lower?_

"Not happening, Shego!"

"Hey, I didn't say a thing."

"I know you, and that's your plotting face!" She crossed her arms. "I've already gotten you a present, so forget it!"

"Whatever you say, Cupcake."

Kim frowned at her with suspicion, and she had every right to do so.

 _Yeah, she's so getting a navel ring_ , Shego thought. "Shall we get this party started, Princess?" She pointed at the balcony doors. "'Cause we're going thataway."

"The veranda?"

"Even better."

She walked over to the double doors and threw them open, then leaped over the railing. She nimbly landed on a small section of the roof and with a quick backflip she was on the ground.

"Don't fall behind," she called out.

She didn't wait for a reply, instead she ignited her free hand and sprinted off into the dark. With a full moon and a cool breeze off the lake, it was the perfect evening to be outside – and she knew exactly where she wanted to be. She leaped over hedges and flowerbeds, and darted around trees, knowing that Kim would be close behind. Her destination was a small copse of trees down by the lake. A hideaway of sorts, where she had spent many hours after she and her brothers had first moved here. It wasn't a secret, but it was hers.

She slid to a stop amongst a circle of trees, Kim arriving a second later. They stood in the small clearing, moonlight filtering down through the leaves and sparkling off the lake. Glow bugs danced in the air, accompanied by the soft sound of crickets all around. It felt like they were the only two on earth, a magical place just for them. She was quite aware of the romantic connotations of her spot, but that wasn't why they were here. She wanted privacy, true privacy, somewhere where people wouldn't hear them talking.

"Shego, it's beautiful," Kim said, turning around in wonder.

Shego grunted in acknowledgement as she put the picnic basket down, then she relieved Kim of the blanket and unfurled it over the grassy ground.

"Shall we play a game?" she asked, sitting down.

Kim sat beside her in a heartbeat. "What sort of game?"

"Truth and truth." She held up a finger as Kim opened her mouth. "We take turns asking each other questions, and we have to answer them honestly. The trick is." She opened up the picnic basket and lifted out a bottle of vodka. "The trick is you have to take a shot before asking."

"But I'm–"

"Old enough to drink in Italy," Shego said, cutting Kim off. She put the bottle of vodka down and pulled out another. "Kimmie, you're a girl of the world, and you know perfectly well that you're allowed to drink in most countries. But hey, if you don't wanna play." She leaned back on her hands. "You can head back to the house, and I'll see you in the morning."

She had her, she knew it the moment that Kim did not raise another objection. Now she just had to wait while Kim justified it all to herself. Kim's ideals were what made her the hero she was, but Shego knew that Kim loosening up could only be good for her.

 _A drink here, a piercing there, and a maybe cute little tattoo… down… there_.

~o~

 _Anything?_ Kim thought. _I can ask her anything? I just have to– have to– Ohh, geez. I am in so much trouble._

Shego had once again opened up the Pandora's box of her life, but this time there was a gatekeeper. Kim stared out over the lake as her need to know warred with her inner-self. Not too long ago it would have been an easy choice, but now…

 _Can I have a drink?_

 _Can I really?_

 _It's totally legal, here_.

With that sentence, she had lost. She was going to drink – and lots of it too. She had so many questions that needed to be asked. That Shego had once promised to get her drunk did not escape her either. She chewed on her lip as Shego brought out more bottles of alcohol, along with cheese, nuts, salami, and loads of fruit.

 _She knew I'd stay_. She leaned forwards and picked up a bottle of vodka. "Your evil," she stated.

"And don't you forget it, Cupcake."

"I can ask you anything?"

"Yep"

"And a drink on every question, even the follow-up ones?"

"That's for the questionee to decide."

"So how… do we do this?"

"Like this."

Shego dropped a few shot glasses onto the blanket in-between them, picked one up, filled it from an unlabeled bottle, then sculled it. She grimaced, shaking her head.

"Fuck your dad's stuff is disgusting, I love it!"

"My dad's?" She looked at the bottle, no way to tell if it was or not. "How'd you get more of it?"

"Uh-uh-ah, I'm asking the first question, remember?" She settled herself in and poured herself a scotch, then saluted Kim with her drink and downed it. "And I'm having a second because of my glow. But you… since when do you fucking heal?"

"Really, it's not that complicated," Kim replied.

"Uh-huh."

"You and Mom healed me in DNAmy's machine, and it left me with some weird regenerative powers."

"Weird how?"

"As in some injurues it heals, and others it doesn't. I'm pretty sure it's wearing off as well. So I'm guessing I'll be back to being a normal, everyday girl in no time at all."

"Kimmie, I'm not even going to touch on you and normal. But I saw Amy's and Drew's notes, and there was nothing in there about healing. Whatever this is." She waved her hand over Kim. "It's not from what they did to you."

 _They didn't? Ohh, shoot! I really shoulda told Mom, and I shouldn't have hidden it from Wade._

"I bet you haven't even told anyone? Wait, don't answer that. I already know the answer."

Kim poked her tongue out as she digested Shego's revelation.

"Look, talk to Wade and get yourself checked out, or I'm telling your mom. But for now." She pushed the bottle of vodka closer to Kim. "It's your turn."

 _Oh_.

"I snagged it from Alan's liquor cabinet, so it's the good stuff."

 _Well, here I go_ , Kim thought. She poured herself a drink, the liquid making far more sound than it should have to her ears. Lifting the glass, she stared at it for a moment. _I gave her my virginity, and now she's taking my virginity_. She glanced at Shego who was watching her intently.

 _Honestly, I'd give her almost anything_.

So she sculled her drink.

"Ohh!" she gasped in a wheezy, breathless voice, eyes wide.

"Still with me?" Shego asked.

"Ye-yeah," she replied, licking her lips. It was unlike anything she had ever tried. Almost no taste, but she could certainly feel its warmth in her throat and flowing through her body. She shivered at the sensation and put her glass down. _Now, where do I even begin?_ She had names, dates and actions that she needed to know about.

"Shego–"

"Yes?"

"–When did you know you liked girls, as well?"

Shego stared at her for a moment before she burst out laughing, rolling onto her back.

"What? What's so funny?" Kim demanded.

"Kimmie– Princess, I only like girls. Always have."

"But– No! That can't be– I mean– You said you wouldn't lie?"

"I didn't," Shego said, a hand over her heart.

"But I've seen you with guys, like all the time."

"That was back when I was working for Drew, and it's called acting. I was playing a part or being undercover, and I'm damn good at it," she added with pride. "Fooled you, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you really did."

"Plus, I'd given up on dating way before I signed on with Drew, so there was no reason for you to know."

 _Wow! All this time, and she's only been interested in_ – Her eyes went wide. "Wait! The Amazon, and Drakken's neuro-compliance chip! The mind control debacle. You undressed me and bathed me! What were you thinking?"

"That I was in heaven, and I was going to Hell for it." She held up her hands. "Hey, blame Drew, I had to follow his stupid orders."

"I know, but…" She sat there, blushing. She had always considered the Amazon mission an innocuous encounter, but now she was seeing it in an entirely new light. Being felt up by her nemesis, who actually liked girls … how did she even begin to compute such a thing.

"What about Barkin?" she asked, moving on for now.

"Best guess? Attitudinator screwed up my sexual orientation. I'm just glad it's all a blur." She took a drink straight from the bottle. "My turn. You still like me, right?"

Kim nodded in the affirmative.

"So how the fuck did that happen? You were into guys. Had no interest in girls. Then suddenly you're jumping me."

"I like to think we made love."

"Don't kid yourself. We fucked like rabbits. Before, you know…"

 _Before you ran off and exploded half a hilltop_. She stared at the ground as she remembered that night, Shego apparently doing the same. It had been a wild, exciting evening, Shego her first and only lover. That it had been with a girl did not even come into the equation. It had been with the only person it could have been. "Anyways, it wasn't all of a sudden. We'd kinda been seeing each other for years. You know, a fight here, a mission against each other there, plus the occasional team up to make things interesting. And after all that, you spent the week with me. Looking back, there were so many little things that drew me to you, and in the end I couldn't deny them."

Shego grunted a reluctant acknowledgement as she ate some fruit.

"My turn," Kim said, downing her next drink. "Who's Rachel?" She felt the companionable mood between them just evaporate, Shego's face going stony. _I know this is a big one. That it's painful for you. But please, please, please open up to me._

"That question," Shego said, her voice dull and lifeless. "That's why I brought the drinks." She took a swig from her bottle. "There's no way I'd tell you otherwise."

Kim ached to take Shego's hand at the pain in her voice, but she knew it would be the wrong thing to do. She had to let Shego get there in her own time, and could only be a passenger along for the ride. She turned her head as Shego flared her hand, the bright light ruining her night vision. It was gone just as quickly as it had come. When her eyesight returned, Shego was a dim shape in front of her, head bowed, hair framing her face.

Shego took drink, then looked at her.

"The meteor, it changed us, more than you'll ever know. This–" She pinched the pale green skin of her arm. "This is only what you see. On a cellular level, a subatomic level we're no longer human. Whatever the meteor was, its energies wrapped us up in a crystalline cocoon; held us in a kind of stasis for years, decades even, as our bodies slowly dissolved and reformed into what we are now."

She raised her bottle and took a large mouthful.

"It was more painful than you'll ever know."

 _Gods!_ Kim thought, in horror.

"When we emerged from our chrysalis, we learned that everyone and everything we knew were gone, dead. We were now wards of the state, with super powers. The U.S. Government had already sequestered us in an underground facility, and it now doubled as our home. The lead scientist in charge of acclimatizing and studying us was a man called–" She swallowed, gripping the bottle. "A man called Dr. Mendelos."

 _I know that name_ , Kim thought, then she remembered from where. _Her fever dream at the Omega Lair, after she saved me. She cried out his name and National Justice's_.

"We eventually tired of the constant poking and prodding, and went to leave. That's when we found out what a sick, twisted and sadistic monster he really was. What he'd done to us without our knowledge. We escaped, but not before he blew himself and the base up rather than let us go free. That's why we assumed he was dead."

 _Oh no!_ Kim thought, the ominous overtones of that last sentence sending a chill down her spine.

"So there we were, five kids lost and alone in the American wilderness. It took us days to find a road, and the first car we flagged down… well, it was Alan."

 _Yeah, that's pretty much how Alan described it to me_ , Kim thought.

"He's a scarily effective lawyer, and he made sure that there was hell to pay over what had been done to us. We got a blank cheque from the government, part compensation and part hush money. That's how Henry was able to build Go Tower. Which in turn led me to Rachel." She snorted. "I say led, but she was the one who lured me to her place with a fake distress call then proceeded to seduce me. Honestly, I can't say I fought too hard, she was beautiful." A smile fleetingly graced her lips. "I loved her."

Kim's heart swelled at the warmth in Shego's voice, then watched a cloud of pain darken her face.

"So yeah, Mendelos didn't die, but the toxic fallout from the base's explosion had mutated him into something else, something inhuman." Her voice dropped to a mere whisper, "He- He killed Rachel in front of me. So I left him to die under a collapsing building! That's when Global Justice swooped in. They covered it all up, then said I was to blame for all the civilian deaths. Unless– Unless! I signed up with them! Henry, the useless piece of shit that he was, actually sided with them. He didn't believe me, and was willing to look past their blackmail as long as he kept his precious Team Go." She clenched and unclenched her hands. "I quit the fuckin' team, and the rest is history."

Kim had tears in her eyes as she threw herself at Shego, giving her a massive hug.

~o0o~

The cloaked hovercraft zipped its way over the Atlantic Ocean, and nearing the archipelago of Puerto Rico it speared into the turbulent waters. It spiraled down, down, and into an undersea trench, and miles beneath the crushing depths it leveled out, its lights illuminating the desolate ocean floor; a wasteland of pale ooze. Silent and unseen it travelled over the alien vista, eventually shuddering as it was grabbed by an outside force. Pulled along, a monstrous structure appeared out of the inky darkness, the undersea lair lurking on the seabed like some great beast.

A dimly lit opening beckoned like some hideous maw, the hovercraft sucked inside.

John Blake, former head of Global Justice and current U.N Power Broker stepped out of the hovercraft, flanked by two neatly dressed cyborgs. He had been summoned and that was never a good sign. He had a brief chance to survey the hive of activity in the hangar bay before he was unceremoniously grabbed and led through the base at a brisk walk. Henchmen were everywhere as they went, the red-suited minions all going about their tasks with grim efficiency. Here and there they passed a window, but all they did was remind him of where he was.

He was deposited before a foreboding black door, his escorts stepping back.

"Thank you," he said with feigned civility.

He straightened his suit and tie and walked forwards, the door silently sliding up then closing behind him. He had never been in the inner sanctum before, and he looked around with nervous curiosity. Multiple workbenches were scattered about the room, all covered with technologies that defied description, or even his ability to comprehend their most basic function. Along one wall were dozens of disassembled cyborgs, while the far wall was one massive window.

He shuffled further in, then spotted the lair's master.

Janus was leaning over a large, black hemisphere, the top half of the sphere hanging from the ceiling. Dozens of thick cables ran from its base like tentacles, the whole thing humming with power. John looked inside the device as Janus stood up, the interior filled with high-tech electronics. None of that interested him, but the football sized device floating prominently in the center did.

"My God! That's a pan-dimensional vortex inducer!" John exclaimed.

"It is," Janus replied, without turning. "Now stand there and be quiet, I do not wish to remove myself and half the planet from existence."

John stood still and shut up, but it wasn't of his own volition. The compliance chip deep within his brain dictated his actions these days. He glanced at a screwdriver on a nearby bench, and at the villain's unprotected back, but his days of free will were long gone. He watched Janus work tirelessly on the sphere, the villain eventually stepping back and sealing the two halves together.

"John, good of you to join me," Janus said, turning around. He was resplendent in his usual blue double-breasted coat and trousers, and accompanying black gloves and boots. His jet-black hair cut short and styled to compliment his evil ensemble.

"You know I can't refuse, not after what you put in my head," John replied, his hand running through his grey streaked hair.

"No, you can't."

"That sphere, the vortex inducer, what are you planning on doing with it?"

"It is the first of many, actually. The beginning of my endgame. As for my plans, they are none of your concern." He strode up to John and stood in front of him, hands clasped behind his back. "It has come to my attention that you are holding out on me."

"I wouldn't! I can't!" John replied, breaking into a sweat.

"Then why did I learn of Global Justice's deep-storage facility in the Antarctic from a subordinate, and not you?"

"The Antarctic Base? But it's purely for archival storage, nothing to do with targeting Shego."

"That is not your decision to make. _My_ wayward sidekick has been untethered for too long, and your continued incompetence has only increased this." He raised a gloved hand. "You have disappointed me for the last time, Mr. Blake."

"No! Please–!"

"Pain!" Janus whispered, his lips curling in a sinister sneer.

John dropped to the ground spasming, his mouth open in a silent scream.

"My neuro-compliance chip is far superior to my predecessors, wouldn't you agree? You'll have time to appreciate it over the next few days." He walked away, disinterest in his eyes. "It is a most unpleasant way to die!"

 **~o0o~**

There you go, I managed to summarize Shego's backstory in only a few paragraphs. You're welcome. If you're wanting a full-refresher on Shego's whole base debacle, that's back in chapter twenty-eight of Home is where the Heart is. Chapter forty-six has flashback moments that cover bits of her history as well.

Yes, Janus is moving ahead with his plans, and they're about to collide with our two girls in a most unexpected way.

~o0o~


	9. Unexpected Happenings

**~o0o~**

The near-silent bedroom was peaceful and serene, then from deep within the silky black sheets of the bed a pale-green hand emerged. More asleep than awake, Shego murmured something unintelligible as she lay there in the air-conditioned comfort of her room. A part of her tried to tell her that something was different, but she was just too darn comfortable to listen right now.

She let out a happy sigh as she stretched, her fingers finding smooth skin.

 _Umm...?_

Sleepy eyes cracked open and focused on the mass of bright red curls in front of her. She blinked as the final pieces of her waking puzzle were answered by the delightfully warm body she was pressed up against, Kim in her arms, their legs entwined. The crowning glory – her hand under Kim's top as she lovingly cupped a breast.

 _What the–?_

She froze, too shocked to even breathe, trapped by the slim body she was wrapped around. A saving grace was that neither of them were naked, though there was twinge of disappointment at that fact. She eventually remembered how to exhale, then slowly inhaled, her heart thundering away in her chest. Then, as if disarming a bomb, she slowly and carefully removed her hand from Kim's top, her fingers complaining at the loss of warm skin. Untangling the rest of herself from Kim, she collapsed onto her pillow and stared at the ceiling.

She was used to sleeping alone, waking alone, being alone, and knew to be wary of this sort of intimacy and the PTSD incident it could trigger.

 _But I'm stronger now. Getting better._

She dragged her hands down her face and took a moment to calm herself. With heavy drapes covering the windows and patio doors it was impossible to know the time of day, and a quick glance at the bedside clock showed her it was way past mid-morning and heading into lunch time. This surprised her. Why they had not been woken for breakfast she did not know, and she had a worrying suspicion that it would somehow involve her and Kim.

That raised the question…

 _How did we get here? I don't even remember us coming to bed_. She thought back on their evening together and encountered a problem. _I can't– I can't remember!_ It was a first for her – because of her Glow. _What tha fuck does Mr. Possible put in that hooch of his? I didn't think I could get that wasted?_

She squeezed her eyes shut in remembrance, but it did nothing.

 _Okay, don't panic. Just start at the beginning. We went down to the lake. I set everything up, and then we talked for a bit. I found out some stuff, Kimmie did as well, then she brought up Rachel. I started drinking more as I explained things, then Kimmie hugs me._ She smiled at that. _Then I hit the bottle really hard, while she downed shots as she kept asking me questions about quitting Team go._

 _Then we…_

It all became a blank after that.

She ran a hand through her hair and sat up, then blinked in surprise.

 _Why am I in Kimmie's top?_

She stared at the way too small crop top she was wearing, or more precisely Kim's top from last night. She lifted the covers, Kim sleeping in her Wham! t-shirt. To make matters worse she was in Kim's white love-heart dotted panties and a quick but pleasurable peek beneath Kim's shirt showed her that Kim was wearing her black panties.

 _Why are we wearing each other clothes?_

She felt lost and confused as she looked around the room, and then came some answers. Dried, muddy footprints covered the floor from the patio doors to the bathroom, the carpet littered with bits of twigs, flora, and other detritus from the lake. Two entwined towels lay by the bathroom door, all of which helped to define some of last night's interaction.

 _We went swimming in the lake? But we didn't take any swimwear_ – Her eyes went wide. _Ohh, crap! Did we go skinny dipping?_

She buried her face in her hands and groaned.

 _C'mon brain, load!_

Nothing came to mind, and now all she could picture was the two of them cavorting in the lake together, naked.

 _Just because we went for a swim, swapped clothes, and maybe showered together, doesn't mean that anything happened between us. Yeah, right. I'm a flirty drunk, it's definitely something I'd do!_ She chewed on her lip in worry. _Maybe… we just made out?_

She had no way of knowing, as any of her hickeys would have vanished by now. And since Kim currently healed there would be none on her.

 _It means I'm gonna have to ask her… what… happened. Oh crap! She's totally going to take this the wrong way! We were just meant to talk last night. And now I've gone and fucked things up. Maybe, literally._

She slumped back and looked down at Kim's peacefully sleeping face and smiled despite everything. Kim was beautiful, and never more so than right now. She calmed her thoughts and reminded herself on why they could not be together. It may be ridiculous and stupid to anyone else – especially Kim – but she needed to know that Kim was safe from the chaos, death and destruction that was her life. She had spent the better part of a year keeping her distance, now here they were. She tentatively reached out then paused, then oh-so-gently rested her hand on Kim's shoulder. It was tactile and real, and she relaxed a bit as the warmth seeped into her.

 _We may have done some silly, stupid things last night, but I'll cherish this moment over all of them_.

She smiled, this special moment just for her as her fingers drifted down Kim's back, then she hastily pulled her hand away as Kim stirred.

 _Time to face the music_. She set her face to a friendly, neutral expression, then said, "Morning, Cupcake."

"Shego?" Kim croaked, her voice sounding really off.

"Hey, what's wrong? Shego asked, all her worry disappearing in a heartbeat.

Kim rolled over and she looked terrible, her face pale and her eyes bloodshot. Shego had seen enough hangovers in her lifetime to recognize the signs.

"Shego, I–I really don't feel well–" Kim mumbled.

"Bad hangover," Shego said.

"Way bad…"

"Headache?"

"Yeah. Rooms… spinning as well."

"Don't move. Take it easy, and I'll get you some painkillers."

"Please and… thank you."

Shego leaped out of bed and was halfway across the room when a startled gasp caused her to pause and look back. Kim was staring at her, all of her, Kim's eyes darting up and down as if unsure where to stop.

 _Oh._

She remembered what she was wearing and how little there was of it. The crop top was for someone of Kim's chest size, and her breasts were definitely putting the fabric under some strain. Coupled with Kim's love-heart dotted panties and she was putting on quite a display. She blushed furiously as she hurried for the bathroom, knowing Kim's view was just as good as she ran away.

 _Stop thinking about it, and concentrate_.

She quickly grabbed some heavy duty painkillers from the medical kit, then eyed one of the remaining towels. She snorted and rolled her eyes, modesty a little too late now. Hurrying back out, she ignored Kim's wide-eyed stare as she stopped at the bar fridge and grabbed a bottle of water.

"Eep!" Kim exclaimed.

Shego stood up whip fast and silently cursed herself. Bending over in panties while being ogled from behind was a stupid thing to do.

 _Next time do a striptease! It'll save ya time, idiot!_

"Shego, uh… why are you in my clothes?"

"Drugs first," Shego replied, squatting by the bed.

Kim accepted the bottle with shaking hands and took the tablets on offer, then she downed half the bottle in small bursts before handing it back. Shego left it on the bedside table then scooted around the bed and sat next to Kim, pulling the covers over her lap. It left her revealing top on display, but lying down next to Kim felt like a tad too much.

She quickly regretted her decision.

"Kimmie, take a photo! It'll last longer!"

"I can't help it," Kim replied. She looked away, her pale cheeks showing a bit of color. "I mean… just, wow!"

The compliment hit home, Shego's cheeks darkening even more. She ran a hand through her hair and adjusted her top. It didn't do any good, but it did help her state of mind. It also drew Kim's attention right back to what was clearly on display.

"Kimmie!"

"Sorry," Kim replied, staring at the far wall. "So… uh, why are you in my top– Hey, you came to bed?" And as unwell as she was, she perked up a bit.

"Yeah, I did. You don't remember?"

"I can barely think at the moment. My heads–" She closed her eyes as she dry heaved. "My heads pounding, I'm aching all over, and the room won't stop spinning." She gagged, all the color draining from her face. "And I think I might even throw up!"

"I didn't mean for this to happen."

"I know. It's not your fault. I could've… stopped at any time, but there was so much I needed to know. And– Oh no! I can't remember!"

 _The prize at the bottom of every bottle_ , Shego thought as she put her hand on Kim's shoulder in sympathy. "What can you remember?"

"That we were down talking and drinking by the lake. Then we both started going at it pretty hard as we chatted about you and Team Go. Then it's– It's all just gone. I don't even remember how we got back!"

 _We both drunk fucked? What are the odds? But, maybe we didn't?_

"Shego, what happened last night–?" Kim cut herself off and groaned in pain, then she curled up into a ball with her forehead pressed against Shego's thigh. "I'd prefer a death ray over this," she whimpered.

 _All my fault_ , Shego thought. _We were supposed to drink and chat, not get wasted_. She rubbed Kim's shoulder. _I could help…_ She shook her head at the terrible idea. _I used to do it for Rachel_.

Another pain-filled moan from Kim shattered her resistance.

"Here, this'll help," she murmured.

"What will?" came Kim's muffled reply.

Shego leaned across and lifted a weakly protesting Kim, then shuffled back against the headboard. She sat Kim in front and slowly rested Kim against her chest, then bowed Kim's head forwards. She raised her legs on either side and tried not to think how intimate this was – that was an emotional minefield for later. Stretching out her arms she summoned her Glow, adjusting it until the green flames were almost translucent. Satisfied, she brought her fingers to Kim's temples and began to gently rub.

Kim let out a happy sigh and went completely limp.

"I used to do this for Rachel," Shego said. "She was always put out that she couldn't drink me under the table, but it never stopped her from trying. Don't ask me how it works, it just does."

"'Kay," Kim blissfully replied, her eyes closed.

Shego had way too much time to think as she massaged Kim's headache away. Most of her thoughts were centered around the warm body pressed up against her own, and the fact that she had initiated it. True, she could have found another position to do this from, but it had been a spur of the moment decision and this was what she knew best. She tried to be strong, but every little breath or move from Kim felt like it was magnified a hundredfold. It became even more intimate when Kim's hands ended up on her thighs.

"Never said why in each other's clothes," Kim mumbled.

"And you told me that you could heal," Shego replied. "So why do you have a hangover?" She smirked as Kim blew a weak raspberry, then shivered as Kim somehow managed to relax even more. They were touching each other in such intimate ways, and it was becoming harder and harder to maintain her concentration.

"As for our clothes, we went swimming in the lake," Shego said.

"And my totally weird ass healing is very… hit and miss– A swim?"

Shego had hoped to skip over the whole lake, skinny dipping fiasco, but Kim was far too astute to let something like that slip by even while hungover. She stared straight ahead as Kim leaned her head back and looked up at her, knowing something terribly wonderful would happen if they made eye contact.

 _I could really use some help right now!_ There was a knock on the door. _Thank you!_ she thought in relief.

"You two awake yet?" Wendell called out.

"Kinda," Kim replied.

"Can I come in?"

"Yes," Kim said.

"No!" Shego snapped.

"Oh? Um, well… lunch will be ready soon, and Alan's doing his famous bacon salad!"

"Bacon?" Kim mumbled, burping as she went even paler. She suddenly leaped from the bed and ran for the bathroom, a hand over her mouth.

"Count us out, Kimmie's unwell," Shego called out as she hurried after Kim. She had been to enough frat parties during college to know how this ended, and she needed to help Kim out just as much as she needed to save her favorite shirt. Sliding to a stop behind Kim, she wrapped her hands in Kim's hair just as Kim collapsed to her knees and vomited in the toilet.

"Why… do people do this… to themselves?" Kim groaned.

"Next time we'll do it in moderation," Shego said.

Kim shook her head as she let out a pitiful moan, and then she threw up some more.

~o0o~

Wade closed his bedroom door with an excited gleam in his eyes. He felt as fresh as a daisy even with his lack of sleep and that was all due to his breakthrough on the hard-light touch sensitivity algorithm.

"Today's the day, I just know it," he said.

For the last two days he had been refused entry into the Omega Lair, but today he had a good feeling that things would be different. He stopped by the kitchen and grabbed himself some lunch, then left a note on the counter for his mom. With her away at work, he didn't want her to worry if he was still out when she got home.

A quick tap on the note for luck, and he trotted out into the garage.

"Third time's the charm, hey Olivia?" he said to a highly modified Segway standing in the corner.

He had constructed it for Kim, but found himself using it more and more for his trips to the Omega Lair. He hitched up his jeans and tucked in his shirt, then grabbed a pair of flight goggles from the wall. Snapping them on, he pressed a button and brought up the eyewear's HUD. His view of the world instantly changed, the landscape and everything around him now composed of ultrahigh-resolution, real-time computer graphics.

"Game on!"

He stepped aboard the Segway and flicked a switch to open the garage door, then went a little queasy as he looked outside. His agoraphobia was pretty much under control these days, but it still reared its ugly head every now and then. He took a deep breath, tightened his hands on the grips, then zoomed out into the big wide world. He quickly turned his sedate ride through the city streets into a game, shooting mock-lasers that only he could see at all the cars as he weaved through the traffic. Then he was out of the suburbs and heading up into the hills, leaving the morning congestion behind.

Free of constants, he revved the engine, and started to move a little faster.

After fifteen minutes of winding mountain roads he slowed and turned onto a barely visible dirt track, and followed the severely rutted trail up the mountain side. He ended up stopping at the base of a looming cliff, then leaned over and pressed his thumb against a nondescript piece of stone. There was a deep rumble as the ground shook then a large section of the rock wall slowly moved to the side. He backed up a bit, watching as a massive pair of dull-metal doors were revealed.

"Yes!" he exclaimed. _I knew today was the day_.

The doors soundlessly slid open to reveal the interior of a lift, its interior all polished steel, but with none of the usual access hatches, switches, or buttons that all lifts usually had. It was a cage just as much as a mode of transport. A death trap for the unwanted. And he promptly drove inside.

"Main entrance," he announced in a loud, clear voice.

" _Acknowledged. Welcome back, Mr. Load."_

"Thanks, Kimberly, it's good to be back."

There was no reply and he did not expect one, the automated system self-contained and separate from Kimberley the A.I. Still, he smiled at the familiar voice. He went back to musing over the hard-light changes in his head as the lift descended, and a few miles beneath the surface the doors opened onto a large cave. Dominating the dimly lit cavern on the far side was a gigantic metal door, heavily reinforced to repel any intrusion.

"Gort, Klaatu barada nikto," he spoke aloud as he rode towards the impressive barrier.

There was the echo of bolts being withdrawn, followed by the groan of hidden machinery as the doors ponderously pulled apart, and he drove inside the Omega Lair proper.

"I've done it!" he announced excitedly, watching the doors close behind him.

"Done what?" Kimberly said from right beside him.

He jumped despite himself, still unused to the way Kimberly, Sheridan, and Sadie could just pop in and out at a whim. Pushing back his goggles, he fished in his pocket for the Holy Grail.

"I've cracked the hard-light touch sensitivity algorithm," he said, holding up a memory stick.

"You did?" Sheridan said as she popped into existence, snatching the flash drive from his hand.

He almost fell of the Segway at her abrupt appearance, Sheridan twirling the USB stick between her fingers. Before he could say more, both A.I's stepped closer.

"Is it safe?"

"Are you sure?"

"How many simulations have you run?"

"Yes. Yes. And over nine thousand," he replied.

Kimberly and Sheridan looked at each other, then Kimberly nodded and disappeared. Sheridan smirked and walked away, then paused and looked back.

"Are we doing this or not?" she asked.

"Yes. Coming," he said as he rode forwards and kept pace with her. Convincing them had been a lot easier and a lot faster than he had expected. _I'm too used to normal people, not super-intelligent A.I's_. "You'll need to upload the changes from your central control matrix."

"Well, doy! That's why we're going this way." She pointed straight ahead. "And not that way." She gestured with her head down another corridor.

He smiled in reply, but Sheridan simply rolled her eyes and continued walking.

He had been given a tour of the Omega Lair when Kimberly had finally acquiesced to Kim's request to allow him in. Since then he had done a lot of exploring on his own, yet there were levels that he could not access. He knew he could hack his way through, but he wanted to stay on Kimberly's good side. Fingers twitching in excitement, he could barely contain himself at what was to come.

 _I'm finally going to see the main computer core and the A.I's central matrix_. "It's um, good to have you back," he said, making conversation.

"Meh, I had things to think about." She held up the memory stick. "And this will help."

"It will?"

Sheridan offered no reply as they followed the well-lit, featureless corridor. It was just like every other upper-level corridor in the base, all polished floor and smooth stone walls which were occasionally punctuated by the recessed blast doors that every villain's lair needed.

Sheridan stopped at a row of lifts and pushed the down button.

"A word of warning," Sheridan said, turning to him. "Touch anything you're not supposed to, and you will die. It's not a threat, just how seriously Kimberly defends herself."

He gulped. Being in the field and risking life and limb was Kim's department. He was thankful when the lift beeped in arrival, and they rode it down in silence. Eventually it stopped and its door opened, and he found Kimberly and Monique waiting for them.

"Wade!" Monique yelled in delight as she rushed in and gave him a massive hug.

"Monique?" he replied in confusion, returning the hug.

"How ya doin'?" she asked, stepping back and playfully punching him on the arm.

"I'm great," he replied, blushing slightly. "I… uh, didn't know you were here."

"Kimberly flew me in this morning. I'm workin' on the finishing touches for Kim's dress, and who better to model in that Kimberly."

"Yeah, that makes sense."

"So–"

"Right, right, yes, enough with the talking," Sheridan said, interrupting the two of them. "Now let's get this show on the road,"

Monique threw her a withering stare, but Sheridan simply snorted and walked out of the lift. Wade and Monique glanced at each other then followed, the two of them continuing to chat as they caught up with Kimberly and Sheridan.

"I still can't believe that she's going to a supervillain's wedding," Wade said. "Well, former villain. But still, the guest list is a who's who of the criminal world."

"That's our Kim. Head first, worry about the everything else later."

"I'd worry less if she wasn't going alone."

"Oh, she won't be alone."

"She won't? You think that she'll–?"

"Bring Miss Mean'n'Green with her as her plus one? Oh, for sure. I know my girl, and she won't take no for an answer."

"That'd make me a lot happier, but it'll be the unstoppable force versus the immovable object."

"My girl's got some sick moves, and Shego won't know what hit her."

"We're here," Kimberly announced, a door on their left.

Wade stopped his Segway and hopped off, the plain door in the featureless corridor no different than any of the others they had passed. It opened as Kimberly and Sheridan walked up to it, the well-loved hum of computers washing over him. He quickly entered, Monique right behind, the massive room disappearing into the distance.

 _Ohhh, wow!_ he thought, looking around at all the mainframe computers. He felt giddy at the sight of them all. It was a dream come true, and he stepped towards a terminal.

"Ut!" Sheridan said, admonishing him. She shook her head then slid a finger across her throat.

"Sorry," he said, quickly stepping back.

"What was that about?" Monique whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

"Oh, that would be my first and final warning."

"For?"

"Touch anything, and kablooie."

"Oh…" she replied, stepping back.

A wall to their right suddenly showed a hidden door, and it silently slid open to reveal a darkened room. Wade entered and looked around, the walls, floor, and ceiling all composed of a strange black metal, oily in appearance, the light from outside creating strange shapes upon it. The spartan room's only item of furniture was a dark-green body chair, set in the center and currently in an upright position.

 _This is mad science at its best_ , he thought. "You use a hard-light interface through a DNA registering, bio-locked chair?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yep," Kimberly replied.

"So you need a real live human to interface?"

"Well, doy!" Sheridan replied.

"So I could–" He stopped as Sheridan put a hand on his chest. "No?" he said, shoulders slumping in disappointment.

"A definite no," she replied.

"You're here as a courtesy," Kimberly said. "Monique is here to upload the changes."

"Me?" Monique exclaimed, looking around at everyone. "Wade's your tech guy, not me. I know my way around a laptop, but that's about it. This is waaay, way out of my comfort zone!"

"You said you'd help, remember?" Kimberly said.

"Well yeah, I did."

"So?"

"Fine, I'll do It!" Monique said, throwing her hands in the air. "You're as bad as Kim at leaving out the important details," she said as she sat in the chair.

Wade smiled then frowned as he found himself escorted back out into the hallway by Sheridan. She raised a finger in warning then disappeared, the door closing and locking with a resounding click. He closed his open mouth and sat down on the Segway, chin in his hand in disappointment.

 _World's about to change, and I don't even get to witness it._

~o~

Monique watched the door close and shut out the noise of the server room, leaving them in complete silence. She stiffened in panic as the chair slowly reclined so she was lying flat and facing the ceiling. At the same time, the lights in the room dimmed even further, until only the chair and herself were illuminated.

"Relax," Kimberly said, squatting by Monique and taking her hand. "You're only upgrading Sheridan, not me. I'll be here by your side the whole time, talking you through what to do and monitoring Sheridan's neural-net at the same time."

"O-Okay," Monique replied, as Sheridan appeared back in the room.

"And in a few days, if there's no data corruption or other unforeseen consequences, I'll get Kim to upgrade me." She squeezed Monique's hand in support then began to instruct her on what to do.

"Activate," Monique said, and a heads up display flickered into view above the chair. She raised her arms and began to tentatively tap away on the hard-light keyboard. "I think I understand what you mean," she said, and she pushed her hands into the HUD and flicked them both outwards. The pale display disappeared at her gesture, replaced by a large holographic sphere composed of multi-colored glowing interconnected lines floating in the middle of the room.

"This is a projection of Sheridan's consciousness in real time," Kimberly said. "I'd say we fix some of her idiosyncrasies, but we'd be here all day."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Sheridan snorted, crossing her arms.

"Let's begin," Kimberly said, winking at Sheridan.

Monique nodded in understanding as she listened to her new set of instructions, then she raised her arms and slid her hands into the holographic sphere. She flexed and twisted her fingers so the room appeared to zoom down inside the internal matrix of the Sheridan's brain, sweating at the feat. It was as much a mental exercise as it was a physical one, the concentration on her face highlighted by the sphere's radiance. She followed a collection of reddish-green lines, then quickly altered course at Kimberly's instructions, spiraling down into a spinning cluster of glowing inter-connected lines.

"You've done it!" Kimberly announced.

Monique breathed out a sigh of relief, not even realizing she had been holding her breath. Gone was the massive network of lines, leaving the room in almost complete darkness. Now there was just a single green ephemeral thread above their heads, attached to a small, pulsing, green ball of light.

"Hello, Sheridan," Kimberly said fondly, "how about we give you an upgrade?" A thin column rose out of the floor and she inserted the flash drive into it. She tilted her head as her eyes glowed, then she squeezed Monique's shoulder that it was safe to begin.

Monique nodded and grabbed the glowing ball, then reached out to the side and pulled in the data from the memory stick. She brought her hands together, the ball flaring brightly before returning to its normal hue.

Sheridan's avatar shimmered and she dropped to her knees, a fist on the floor in support.

"Oh my…" she whispered in awe. She stared at her hand as if seeing it for the first time, flexing and moving it back and forth. She giggled, and it sounded so out of character.

"Take it slow," Kimberly said. "Remember, the sensations will be overwhelming at first."

Sheridan stood to her feet and took an unsteady step, then she swept Monique up into her arms and passionately kissed her. It was totally unexpected, and Monique let out a startled squeak as Sheridan vanished. Monique hit the ground with a thump and she sat up rubbing her backside with a look of indignation and worry on her face.

"Is she–?"

"She's fine," Kimberly replied. "Just a little overwhelmed by all the input."

"You mean… I literally blew her mind with a kiss?"

~o0o~

Kim woke with a pressing need to visit the bathroom. She still felt awfully hungover as she moved the sheet aside and sat up, the room in complete darkness.

 _I slept through the whole day?_

She looked around and then behind her at the bed and found something else surprising, Shego asleep above the sheets with Kim's book resting atop her chest. Shego looked exceptionally cute and a little bit strange in a powder blue shirt, but the mystery and the magic of that could wait.

 _Need to pee! Need to pee! Need to pee!_

She rushed to the bathroom, and ablutions complete, and more drugs taken, she crawled back into bed and shuffled over to Shego. Reaching out, she rested her hand on Shego's and closed her eyes. She knew she shouldn't, that it was a guilty pleasure, but she didn't care right now.

 _You stayed with me… The whole day_ …

With images of her Knight Shego fighting back drunk dragons, she drifted back to sleep.

~o0o~

"Hey boss, a big-ass limousine just pulled into the parking lot."

Faux nodded in acknowledgement, too busy serving up drinks right now to really take the comment in.

With the surprising hit of her KiGo nights, she had come up with another idea – leather & lace. It too had turned out to be a surprisingly popular event, but not in the way she had envisaged. Hot girls in tight leather and lacy G-strings had been her goal, but the men of Upper and Lower Middleton had instead flocked to her themed night. And as much as some may dispute it, she was a business woman first and a sex-crazed lesbian second. She was not about to cancel this popular get-together just because she had no eye candy to ogle or bed.

 _But would a single cute girl be too much to ask for?_ she thought, glumly.

She finished one patrons order, and the next, and the next, until a lull in the crowd and her sixth sense kicked in. She spun on the spot, her gaze zeroing in on tight jeans, a curvaceous figure, and gorgeous, wonderful breasts. The object of her desire was a young brunette with shoulder-length hair, and even this far away the sour disposition on the woman's face was obvious. Faux tingled in excitement, those full pouting lips screaming to be ridden into submission.

 _Thank you!_ she thought, looking up at the heavens. _Thank you, thank you, thank you!_

She watched the woman stop and talk to a bouncer, roughly glance her way, then grab her male companion's hand and head towards the bar. The woman looked annoyingly familiar, as did her well-muscled male friend, but the low cut v-neck in the woman's expensive top kept getting in Faux's way. Neither were dressed for tonight's entertainment, but the man's hips were already moving in time to the music. He seemed far more interested in joining the dance floor than following the woman to the bar, his wide-eyed gaze drinking in all the bare chested, barely dressed men. The woman was having none of it as she pushed her way through the crowd, all the while possessively holding onto her companion's hand as she pulled him along.

Faux grinned as she moved along the bar, making sure she was front and center when the two finally reached the front.

"Get me the owner!" the woman said, shooting her demand at Faux.

 _Someone's in a bad mood_ , Faux thought. "You've got her," she said, a little disappointed that there was absolutely no interest showing in the woman's teal-green eyes.

"Really? Well, I'm here to buy your bar. All of it!"

 _Say wut now?_ "I'm sorry, could you say that again? I thought you said you wanted to buy my bar?"

"I did. Now, how much? one million, two? Name your price."

"It's not for sale, and– Hey, you're Bonnie Rockwaller, aren't you?

"You know me?" Bonnie replied, preening a little at the recognition.

"I… do… and this would be…?"

"My husband, Señor Senior, Junior."

 _Well, this night just got a whole lotta interesting_ , Faux thought. She had followed Kim's career since almost the beginning and had quickly figured out Kim and Bonnie's eternal rivalry by reading between the lines of every article she could find. She hazarded a guess as to why Bonnie and her billionaire husband wanted to buy the tavern, and it only spelled trouble.

"Look, everyone has a price, so name it?" Bonnie said.

 _Damn, she's fuckable when she's angry! Would Kim be upset if I did?_ She was wholeheartedly on Team Kim, so this left her in a dilemma. If she wanted to bed this beauty, she would have to balance her friendship with Kim against any possible fallout, while also biting her tongue on what she thought about Bonnie.

 _To get her naked and in my bed, I think I can live with a dirty little conscience._

"A price?" Faux said as she meaningfully leaned forwards. "Well, I can be persuaded to do almost anything. So how's about we head up to my place and have a more in-depth, private negotiation? Just the two of us over a bottle of wine?" She watched her not so subtle offer hit home, pleased at the reaction. Anger instead of an instant rejection showed interest on some level, even if Bonnie was unaware of it.

"Are you going to let her talk to me like that?" Bonnie snapped at Junior.

"Like what?" Junior replied, turning around and paying attention to the two women.

"She just propositioned me, right in front of you!"

"And something is wrong with that?"

"I am your wife!"

"I still do not understand?"

"I– We– It–" Bonnie spluttered.

"What is wrong with two women being amorous?" He trailed a finger down his chest as he looked around the crowded tavern. "It is like two beautiful, well-muscled, oiled men making raging, passionate love in front of an open fire. It is glorious."

Bonnie pulled Junior close and glared at Faux. "We'll be back, and you will sell me this place!"

"Well, you know my price for negotiations," Faux called out, watching them go.

She went back to serving drinks, her thoughts dwelling on erotic scenarios of her and Bonnie together. The end always justified the means when it came to a body like that. And while it was a given that she would never sell, it was also the perfect bargaining chip to get Bonnie into bed.

 _She'll come around, I can just feel it. Then we'll have so much fun together!_

 **~o0o~**

Right. Yes. I did promise that Janus and our girls would be interacting in unexpected ways this chapter, and I was wrong. I happily started writing, then found out that certain things had to happen before other things. Damn this linear progression! I did consider holding back and posting it as one big chapter, but it may have ended up way too big.

As for what I promised, I'm about to sit down and start writing it.

~o0o~


	10. Friendly Banter

**~o0o~**

Kim woke to the wonderful sensation of being held and shuffled closer to the warm body behind. Sometime during the night Shego had moved beneath the sheets and curled up against her, an arm draped possessively over her. She beamed in happiness, life never more perfect than at this moment. It couldn't last, she knew that, but she enjoyed it even more so because of its fleeting nature.

 _I know she's not seeing anyone, and I bet I asked her the other night why we can't date. And then drank it away_.

She brought Shego's hand up and pressed her cheek against it.

 _I still can't believe that I slept through all of yesterday, and that you were there every time I woke_. She snuggled closer. _Just a little bit longer, and then I'll get up._

She lay there and let the warmth and feel of Shego permeate her soul. She had never expected to share the same room as Shego, let alone the same bed. There was an inherent danger in them sleeping together, and that was evidenced by Shego's closeness and protective arm. It was all wonderful and perfect, but Kim knew Shego would not see it that way.

She froze as she felt Shego stir.

 _Ohh, geez! What do I do? She's gonna freak out!_

She went into super-survival mode and pretended to be fast asleep. And as expected she heard a muted gasp from behind, followed by a variety of softly muttered swear words as Shego removed her arm. Warmth turned to loss as Shego moved away, then everything went quiet.

Eventually Kim felt the bed move as Shego sat up.

 _Perfect!_ she thought, opening her eyes. She stretch then rolled over, and said. "Morning."

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Shego asked.

It was an simple question and easily answered, but Kim's response died in her throat. Being held by Shego was one thing, seeing her all disheveled, still sleepy, and with that powder blue shirt hanging loosely off one shoulder, well it made her libido soar. She had forgotten how quickly Shego could do this to her and she ached to cover that pale-green neck in kisses.

 _Aloof but friendly, remember?_ Kim thought, dampening her lustful ideas. "I'm feeling a lot better." She untangled an arm from the sheets and touched Shego's leg. "Thanks to you."

"Meh. It was my fault in the first place–"

"Hey, we've had this discussion. It wasn't your fault. What do I have to do to convince you?"

"You could give me back my room?" Shego replied, smirking.

"We both know Margaret wouldn't be happy with that."

"Yeah. She can be a real hardass when her mind's made up."

Kim sat up and moved next to Shego and straightened out her Wham! t-shirt, or more precisely Shego's, and glanced sideways. Why Shego was in one of Hego's shirts, she had no idea. Not that she was going to complain with all that kissable skin on display, but she was curious as to why.

"So why–" Kim started to ask.

"Because you're wearing my only clean shirt," Shego replied. "The other's in the wash, and I needed something to sleep in."

"Didn't you pack any more, or pajamas?"

"Nope. I hardly bring anything with me when come to visit, not even my catsuit."

 _So that's why she's been wearing the same pair of shorts the whole time_. "So what do you do for clothes then?"

"Depends on what's in fashion at the local stores."

"You do your shopping when you get here? We were in town like, the other day."

"That's not how I do my shopping." She held up a hand, her Glow flickering around it. "And a certain redhead has delayed me from my fun."

 _What does she mean?_ Kim thought, then her eyes widened. "You can't steal stuff, your amnesty depends upon it!"

"Where do you think I learned to steal?"

 _Wow!_ "Really?"

"'Course not. But it's where I learned how fun it could be. I've been doing it for years, basically every time I visit. I break into whatever fashion store looks good, take what I want, and leave some money on the counter."

 _It's not really stealing if she pays, but still_ … "Well, this is my first time here, so how's about we change things up a bit?"

"What did you have in mind…?" Shego asked, warily.

"Lunch."

"And…?"

"That's it, just lunch. At one of the cafes. And then we do a bit of clothes shopping afterwards?"

It was such an innocent request, and Shego sighed at Kim's enthusiasm to keep her on the straight and narrow. It was endearing as much as it was futile. While she had given up her life of villainy, there were some things she would never forsake.

"Kimmie, you're forgetting a few things." She cancelled her Glow and pointed at her arm. "Green skin." She waved at Kim. "Red hair. And we're both American. Together we'd stick out like a sore thumb. The local press and our fans would be down on us within the hour. So no, we're not going into town during the day."

"Disguises, then?" Kim said, clearly not wanting to let go of her idea. "You've got that blonde wig you showed up in."

"It itches," Shego stated, flatly. It was petty, but she wasn't willing to give in.

"Then how about the Camille Leon line of products?"

"They wouldn't work."

"You've never tried?"

"Don't need to. I know my body, and how my Glow interacts with stuff like that."

Kim rolled across the bed and trotted over to her suitcase, and pulled out a makeup bag. She rummaged inside it and lifted out a small glass bottle, then headed back to Shego.

"Well, I think it's high time you tried–" Kim said.

"No," Shego said.

"Just a little bit?" Kim said, unscrewing the bottle.

"I said, no!"

It was an emphatic no. Said in a tone that you did not use on either of them.

Kim screwed the bottle shut and deliberately placed it center stage on the bed, then gave her a playfully combative look.

Shego was hungry, starving even, but all that vanished at the prospect of fighting Kim. She was far stronger, inhumanly so. But sheer strength meant nothing against Kim's fluid dexterity; Kim ever the wild tiger after her prey. Shego didn't wait for Kim to start anything, swooping in low and grabbing her by the waist and throwing her across the room.

Kim spun in midair, kicked off the ceiling and hit the floor in roll, then exploded back towards Shego.

~o~

The Go household was happily having a relaxing breakfast on the patio when the sound of a door crashing off its hinges caused them all to look up. It was followed by a series of shrieks and yells – if not in fun, then in excitement – as Kim and Shego battled away upstairs.

"Great Scott!" Hego exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

"Best leave them be," Mr. Sack said.

"It's not the sort of fight you want to get involved in," Mrs. Sacks said.

"But Kim's–"

"A delightful young who's perfectly capable of dealing with your sister's enthusiasm."

"I know, its just–"

He wilted under their combined stares and sat back down, wincing at the sound of all the breakages coming from upstairs. They all returned to chatting and eating breakfast, then jumped in their seats when a humongous green fireball exploded through the side of the house. Shrapnel flew across the backyard, as did Kim and Shego as they tumbled into the pool.

"Shall I?" Mr. Sacks asked, looking at his wife.

"Finish your breakfast, dear. I'll talk to her," Mrs. Sacks replied.

She calmly stood to her feet and headed inside, Kim and Shego already back in the house through the gaping hole.

~o~

Shego threw herself backwards and turned it into a flip, passing through the remains of her bedroom doorway. She landed and parried Kim's strike then dodged an arcing foot, her own uppercut finding nothing but air. Why they were fighting no longer mattered. It was now down to who could win. That meant staying focused, as brawling in underwear, wet, clinging shirts and no bras was immensely distracting. She instantly took advantage of Kim's lack of control as they ended up chest to chest, sweeping Kim's legs out from under her and eagerly straddling her waist, palms on the floor on either side of Kim's head.

"Ha!" she cried out victoriously. _Got you!_

She looked down, wet hair framing her face as she grinned in triumph at Kim. They were both breathing heavy from their exertion, her own shirt hanging loose while Kim's clung tightly to her panting chest. She dragged her gaze away from Kim's well-defined breasts only to register the delicious warmth rising between her thighs. Pants would have been a good idea, not this skin against skin. A fresh bruise on Kim's cheek got her attention, and she lightly brushed her fingertips across it. She shouldn't have done it, her breath catching in her throat as Kim's eyes closed at the gentle touch. A part of her wanted to be strong, but Kim was so close, so vulnerable looking, and so beautiful, Kim's parted lips calling to her. She could swear that her whole body was vibrating, butterflies filling her stomach as she inched closer, eyes on her prize.

"Ahem!" Mrs. Sacks announced from the ruined doorway.

Shego jumped to her feet in a panic, straightening out her shirt for modesty's sake as she spun to face her adoptive mom.

"It's not what you think," Shego quickly said.

"It's not?" Mrs. Sacks replied, stepping into the room with a smile. "Then tell me, what do I think it is?"

Shego open and closed her mouth as Kim stood up beside her. She glanced at Kim for some inspiration, but Kim's lack of pants and clinging shirt only made matters worse. What she had been about to do with Kim had been a simple moment of weakness, so she did not want to announce it out loud, especially in front of Kim.

"Look, things between Kimmie and me are complicated!"

"Then uncomplicate them," Mrs. Sacks replied.

"It's never that easy!"

"I know. But is this how I taught you to resolve your problems?"

"I'll, ah, just go change–" Kim said, pointing at her suitcase.

"You stay right there, young lady!" Mrs. Sacks said.

Kim promptly stood still, hands held in front of her like she had been caught doing something bad.

"Leave Kimmie out of this!" Shego said, stepping closer to Kim.

"Sheridan, I'm not here to argue, but I am here to talk about your promise."

Shego looked past Margaret and at the ruined door to her room. The hallway outside was completely trashed, along with Hego's bedroom door, a large hole now in his wall. She felt a sense of pride at what she had done, then registered the look on Margaret's face.

"That promise was years ago!" Shego said.

"And?"

"And– and… I promised I wouldn't wreck the house because of Henry and Melvyn. Kimmie doesn't count!"

"Oh Sheridan, do you really want to argue the semantics with Alan?"

"No," Shego replied, scowling. Having a world class lawyer as a father had always been a hindrance to her exuberant embellishments, obfuscations, and outright lies.

"A wise decision," Mrs. Sacks said, then she turned to Kim. "And Kim, it's wonderful to see you up and about."

"Thanks," Kim replied.

"Sheridan explained the circumstances of why you were unwell, so perhaps it's best if you moderate your drinking in the future?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"We don't need a repeat of the two of you singing from the rooftop at three in the morning."

Kim and Shego glanced at each other, neither able to remember their drunken night together. Shego could easily picture the both of them singing on the roof, but that didn't make it any better in her mind.

"Well, now that we've had our little discussion, why don't the two of you get dressed and come down for breakfast?" Mrs. Sacks said.

"Fine," Shego said, her stomach growling.

"Oh, and if you're planning to be amorous again, I'd suggest doing it in a room where you can close the door."

Shego stood there in shock then opened her mouth to fire back a retort, but Margaret had gone. She glared at the vacant spot, refusing to look at Kim beside her.

 _I'd so love to put Mama and her in the same room together, and let them duke it out_. It was never going to happen. Rose Go's existence was a secret she never planned to share, especially with her brothers. They would never understand.

"Hey!" Kim said, interrupting Shego's musings.

 _Hm?_ Shego thought, turning.

Kim stepped closer and threw a handful of powder in the air.

Shego watched the glittering dust rain down over her, and wherever it touched her skin there were tiny flashes of green.

"Wow, your Glow really doesn't like the Leon products, does it?" Kim said.

"I could've told you that," Shego replied. "Oh wait, I did!"

"Then it's onto Plan-B!"

 _Plan-B?_

Kim went over to her backpack and pulled out her laptop along with a black choker with a green gem in the center. She sat on the bed and opened her laptop, and as it booted up she pulled out a tray from its side and placed the neckwear on it. The jewel shimmered in a strange way that caught Shego's attention and she wandered over out of curiosity.

"This is super-secret, but I'm sure Wade will be fine with me showing you," Kim said.

"Show me what?" Shego replied, her interest now piqued.

"Well, this."

Kim hung the amulet around her neck, her appearance changing into a stranger's face. Blue eyes stared back at Shego, Kim's hair now a dark brown. Shego could see that it was Kim yet it wasn't, the changes subtle yet enough to fool. She wasn't sure how she felt about the remodeling, but she instantly saw the potential of such an object.

"It's what I use when I need to go incognito these days," Kim said.

"How…?" Shego asked, her fingers lightly touching Kim's hair.

"I retrieved it on one of my my last missions with Ron. Monkey Fist was scheming to steal it, then use it to infiltrate some ancient simian cult in Indonesia. But we got to it first, and ruined all his plans."

"Isn't all this monkey shit heavily cursed?"

"Totally, and it was," she replied, shuddering. "A mystic gorilla ghost removed the curse for me. Yeah, don't ask. It's as crazy as it sounds."

"No doubt," Shego murmured

Kim removed the choker, her appearance returning to normal. She then popped out the jewel and placed it on the laptop's tray, and double-clicked a file on the computer. Shego sat beside her and paid close attention to the gem, catching glimpses of a monkey's paw deep within its crystalline structure. It helped validate Kim's story, not that she had doubted it anyways.

"How about blonde?" Kim asked, looking at her mischievously. She didn't wait for a reply. "Yep, definitely blonde. And tanned, too. That'll fool everyone."

"You can change it just like that?" Shego said.

"Yep. Wade was able to write a program that alters its enchantment. So now it's super easy for me to change my appearance whenever I need too."

"Wait, wait, wait, you're doing spells through your computer?"

"Well, kinda. How did Wade put it? A computer program is just a modern day spell in digital form." She typed away on the keyboard and clicked done, then passed the choker to Shego.

"Here, try it on. Then we can discuss what cafe we'd like to visit for lunch."

~o0o~

"Agent Du!" Agent Stephensen called out as she rushed down the corridor.

Will Du started longingly at the waiting lift in front of him, then turned to face his personal assistant. He had been looking forward to heading home after another long day of babysitting the world's heroes – with all their tantrums and complaints. Even with all that, he and his department handled the heroes with an ever-present, calm efficiency. Now, with the arrival of his assistant, leaving work seemed like a distant memory.

"Yes, Agent Stephensen, what is it?" he asked.

"A Hero Alert," Agent Stephensen replied.

Will took a second to process the information, then sprinted off down the hallway with Agent Stephensen by his side. A Hero Alert, a hero killed or mortally wounded while fighting a villain. They were rare and needed to be handled with the full might of Global Justice so as to deter villains from attempting such again.

"Who?" he asked.

"Amazingman," Agent Stephensen replied.

 _That doesn't make sense, he's at our deep-storage facility in the Antarctic_.

He ran past multiple departments until he stopped at his own, a plaque on the wall stating: WHILD, World Hero Interdependence and Liaison Department. He swiped his access card, pressed his hand against a security panel, lowered his eye for a scan, then slipped past the door before it had finished opening.

"Report!" he demanded, looking around the room.

His department was quite small when compared to others within Global Justice. And while he believed that his skills were being wasted here, he expected nothing less than perfection from those working under him. He looked at all the agents hard at work organizing and directing the world's heroes, then towards a monitor that dominated the room. The screen currently showed a red dot flashing away in Antarctica, the site of the incident; while a corner of the monitor held an image of Amazingman, the hero striking a pose in his red, white and blue spandex, his perfectly coiffed hair and cocksure grin dominating his grandiose look.

Will took it all in then accepted a folder, and quickly read the contents. There wasn't much.

"Let's hear it," he said.

" _We're over the base, and it's a warzone. It looks like it's been hit by multiple– Look out! We've been hit. We're going down! I repeat, we're going–"_

"Communications with the base?" Will inquired.

"None, sir. They've gone silent. We've been trying to raise them on all of our emergency channels, but no luck so far."

 _This is bigger than a Hero Alert. Global Justice has been openly attacked!_ "Is Dr. Director still in?" he asked, directing his question at Agent Stephensen.

She checked her tablet, and said, "Yes."

"Let her assistant know that I'm on my way. And keep trying to contact Amazingman and the base."

~o0o~

"I still can't believe I let you talk me into doing this," Kim said.

"Aww, is widdle Kimmie afwaid to lose her villainous virginity to big bad Shego?"

"As if!"

"It'll be our first time together, so I'll try to be gentle."

"Stop that."

"Just you and me breaking the law, hand in hand."

Kim walked to the edge of the rooftop and looked down at the town below, San Siro's streets still quite busy this late at night. The mixture of old and new architecture had captured her heart the other day, and yet here she was with Shego and about to break into an upmarket clothes store.

"When I said 'let's compromise', I didn't expect this," Kim said, waving a hand at the building beneath them.

"It's the perfect compromise," Shego replied. "We do a little shopping for me, then we have a nice dinner at a cafe for you."

"But I should be stopping you, not helping you!"

"And ruin all our fun?"

Kim huffed in response and crossed her arms, staring out over the town. What they were about to do went beyond her comfort zone and even past her choice of not drinking alcohol. She had spent the better part of the day wrestling with her conscience, but in the end it had come down to something simple – her heart. She liked Shego, a lot. And now she was having to deal with the consequences of wanting to be with a free spirit who loved to live life on the edge of the law.

 _We're totally different, yet so alike. And I can't get enough of her_.

She felt Shego sit on the rampart beside her, and turned.

"Ready to have some fun?" Shego asked, the excitement evident in her eyes.

"No," Kim replied, truthfully. "But I'll grin and bear it." _For you_.

"That's the spirit, Princess!"

Shego leaped to her feet and practically ran to the opposite side of the roof, and with a wink and a wave she stepped off the edge. Kim smiled despite herself, Shego's excitement quite infectious. Obviously she had never been with Shego before a job, so it was quite amazing to see the exuberant change in her demeanor.

 _She really does like the thrill of it_.

She reached the spot where Shego had walked off the roof and looked down, Shego directly below. Shego had wedged herself upside down in windowsill, her legs holding her in place as she worked at opening a window with glowing fingers and some tools. Kim had a great view of those long legs, Shego in short shorts, a tight fitting t-shirt and Kim's choker. It led to all sorts of naughty thoughts for Kim – especially at how Shego's blonde hair drifted in the breeze as her muscles flexed and strained.

 _I'm committing a crime_. She bit her lip as she stared at Shego's tanned legs. _And all I can think about is how sexy she looks_.

"And… we're in!" Shego announced, sliding the window open. "Now let's–"

Beep…Bee…Beep. Beep.

Beep…Bee…Beep. Beep.

"You didn't put your phone on silent?" Shego asked in astonishment.

"Hey, this breaking the law is new to me!" Kim replied as she dragged her phone out of her pocket.

"Noob!"

"Whatever!" Kim replied, answering the call. "Hey Wade, what's the sitch?"

"Hey Kim, sorry about interrupting your holiday," Wade replied, his face on screen.

"Well, it's gotta be a big since you did."

"It is, and it's… um, Global Justice."

"What do those fuckers want?" Shego said as she vaulted over the rampart, Kim's choker in hand.

"There's been a major incident in Antarctica, and they don't have the resources to get there in time," Wade said."

"Screw 'em!" Shego said.

"Shego, please," Kim said, begging for silence. She half-smiled as Shego sat down without another word, so she sat next to her and raised the phone for the both of them.

"Lay it out for me, Wade."

"It's Global Justice's deep-storage facility in Antarctica, it's been attacked. The enemy is unknown, and Central Command has grave fears for every agent currently on site. Their only intel is from Amazingman, and it's not much." He looked away, then back at Kim. "And Kim, I'm sorry to say, but his jet was shot down while approaching the base."

 _No! He was one of the good ones!_ "Call Sadie! Get me there ASAP!"

"I'm already here," Sadie announced, Kim's hovercraft decloaking right above them.

Kim shot to her feet and leaped up, grabbing the edge of the craft and flipping herself inside. She turned and held out a hand for Shego, but found herself alone, Shego unmoved on the rooftop.

"Shego, c'mon! What are you waiting for?"

"Let GJ handle their mess. It's what they're there for."

"You're kidding me?"

"Not a hero, Kimmie. Not a villain anymore, but certainly not a hero. So you head off and have fun, and I'll continue my night's entertainment."

 _I know that deep down she cares, but she totally hates Global Justice._ She knew that convincing Shego would be an uphill battle. _It's a low blow, but I'm in a rush_. "Shego, I'm heading into the unknown, just me. I could really use your help to watch my back? Please?"

Shego scowled as she looked away then she slowly climbed to her feet.

"Did you pack your battlesuit?"

"No. I don't have to–"

"Good enough!" Shego said as leaped up and grabbed Kim's hand, stepping into the hovercraft.

"Thank you," Kim said.

Shego grunted and sat down, the hermetic forcefield snapping into place around the cockpit. San Siro and Italy disappeared into the distance as Sadie took the hovercraft into high-hypersonic, pushing the engines to their max.

"We'll be there in about thirty minutes," Sadie announced.

"Roger that, Sadie," Kim replied. She looked at Shego and sighed, then went and sat beside her. "Again, thank you," she said, touching Shego's arm. "I know you're not a fan of Global Justice." _And now I know why_. "But lives are on the line."

"I'm just here to watch your back, Kimmie, and to fuck up anyone who tries."

"Well, in the spirit of truthfulness, I kinda sorta have my battlesuit on me. It's just, you know, not that obvious these days."

She loved the friendly banter that the two of them had these days. It was worlds apart from their early days of fight first and maybe talk later. She watched Shego's face go stony at the admission, the cold, silent response worse than any flaming fist. She nervously looked at her lap as the silence went on, Shego's face unreadable.

She glanced up, Shego still unmoved.

 _Please don't hate me_ , she thought _. I didn't mean to lie, everything just happened so fast_.

She sighed in relief when Shego pointed at her silver bracelet.

"Centurion Project?" Shego said, softly.

"Yes, at its core," Kim replied, holding up her bracelet-clad wrist. "But Wade's heavily modified it with my dad's old Hephaestus tech and his own battlesuit designs."

"Show me."

 _At least she's talking, not yelling_. She stood up, then subvocalized, "Kilo-India-Mike, One-One-Zero-Zero-Six, Pandaroo."

The bracelet turned to liquid-metal and enveloped her wrist, then expanded to cover her arm. She shivered as it flowed under her shirt, the feeling not unlike growing a second skin. It continued on, the process gaining in speed until it covered her whole body. She flexed her hands as the air shimmered about her, the silvery-blue powerlines of the suit flaring for a second as the battlesuit became fully operational.

"So it doesn't shred your clothes?" Shego asked.

"Only if I have to call it up quickly," Kim replied.

"And it goes under everything?"

"Yep. Sure does."

Shego leaned forwards and pulled up Kim's shirt, ignoring her startled squeak. It was true, the suit was under Kim's bra. She let the shirt drop, Kim's cheeks a delightful shade of red.

"Yeah, under everything," Shego murmured.

Kim opened and closed her mouth a few times as she looked for something to say. It wasn't every day that the girl of your dreams lifted up your shirt to check out your chest. She almost cheered in relief when Sadie materialized in the center of the hovercraft, Sadie outfitted in her usual faded jeans, tight blouse, stylish leather jacket and biker boots.

"Girl–" Sadie started to say.

"Lookout!" Shego yelled in alarm as she pushed Kim to the side. She unleashed a devastating punch at Sadie, her attack passing harmlessly through the A.I. She quickly regained her balance, her Glow erupting over her hands.

"Shego, it's Sadie!" Kim yelled from the floor. "It's just her avatar!"

"You put holo-emitters in my hovercraft?" Shego exclaimed, her eyes never leaving Sadie.

"We did. Well, Wade, Kimberly and I did."

"Kimberly?"

"It's what your Kim– Kim at Omega Lair now calls herself."

Kim sat up then accepted Shego's hand and stood up, Shego and Sadie continuing to stare each other down. She had a sudden inkling of why Sadie had appeared and she raised her hand to stop her.

"Sadie, don't–"

"Well, before I was interrupted," Sadie said, stepping closer to Shego. "Girl, ya got ta stop flirtin', and put a ring on that finger."

Kim knew that dazed look on Shego's face, she was wearing it herself.

"Listen, you jumped up spark plug, that's none of your business!" Shego growled.

"It wouldn't be, if you did something about it!" Sadie snapped in reply.

"Guys–" Kim begin. But totally ignored.

"Drop it, or I'll make you!" Shego said.

"I'd like ta see you try!" Sadie said.

"Oh, I'll do more than try!"

"Guys–" Kim said, trying again.

"You could have at least called her!" Sadie said.

"It's complicated!" Shego snapped, clenching and unclenching her hands.

"Is that your way of sayin' she's not good enough for you?"

Kim wished she could just curl up and die. Her only saving grace was the look on Shego's face. Yes, there was anger, but there was also a wonderful blush on those pale-green cheeks. It certainly gave her hope for their future. And while being argued about was an interesting experience, it was best to intervene before things escalated. The last thing she needed was for Shego to damage the hovercraft while they were flying over the Pacific Ocean.

She cleared her throat once, twice, to get their attention – all to no avail – then stepped between the two of them.

"Sadie," she said, holding up a hand, " Shego and I are in a good place at the moment. Better than good, actually." She stood there patiently, Sadie eventually nodding. She turned to Shego, frowning until Shego doused her Glow. "And Shego, Sadie's quite protective of me these days. You know what that's like, right?"

There was some strained silence before Shego silently crossed her arms in agreement.

 _Phew!_ Kim thought. "So, let's get some belated introductions out of the way, shall we?" She didn't wait for their answers. "Shego, this is Sadie's avatar. And Sadie, you of course know Shego."

"Kimmie, you have the weirdest friends," Shego muttered.

"I do, don't I," Kim replied, nudging Shego's shoulder with her own.

 **~o0o~**

Yes, it's abrupt end to the chapter. The full length was 12K words, and it's been pointed out to me that that can be a bit hard to read and review. And I really like replying to the reviews. So as a compromise, the next part will be up next weekend. Yep, that's only a week in-between. *gasp*

So enjoy. Review. And see you soon.

~o0o~


	11. Something Wicked This Way Comes

**~o0o~**

Sadie brought the cloaked hovercraft down over Global Justice's deep-storage facility in Antarctica – and that was the easy part. It was still nighttime, and a wintry gale howled through the darkness. It left them with zero visibility, but even with that restriction it was obvious that something was wrong.

"No exterior or landing lights," Kim muttered, the entrance to the base invisible in the dark of the frozen hillside.

"That's going to make things difficult," Shego said.

"You get used to it."

"Don't count on it."

"Kim," Sadie piped up. "I've lost all communications with Wade and the Omega Lair. The whole area is being jammed."

"Then they're still here," Shego stated.

Kim nodded in agreement. They currently had the element of surprise on their side, but that would mean no lights from Sadie. It would make things interesting, but not impossible. She strained to see anything that would help them, but her efforts were ultimately futile because of the weather conditions.

"Sadie, can you scan?" Shego asked.

"Yes, but only in a limited fashion."

"Then scan the area, and overlay it with a topographical map of the base. Let's see what shows up before we blindly drop in."

"Good idea," Kim said.

"It's a thief thing," Shego replied.

They watched as Sadie brought up a 3D map of the base and then overlaid it bit by bit with a wireframe scan. A few things stood out immediately.

"The communication tower has been totally destroyed," Kim said, pointing at its remains.

"And the hangar bay doors have been blown wide open," Shego said.

"There's the downed the transport. Sadie?"

"Sorry Kim, I'm unable to scan for life signs," Sadie said.

"Then we'll check it out first before hitting the base," Kim said. She tapped her chin in thought. "It feels like a well-managed attack, yet look at all the random blast damage."

"They wanted in, and didn't care about the collateral," Shego said.

"Well, whoever they are, they can wait. Our main priority is the safety of the agents," Kim said.

"Until we bump into the bad guys."

"Yeah. And then we go through them."

"Works for me. Now let's go play Warehouse Thirteen so I can get back to my shopping.

"Warehouse Thirteen?"

"Inside joke. Forget it."

Sadie dimmed the lights in the cabin then raised the hatch in the floor, a rope ladder rolling down.

Kim adjusted the hood of her big goose-down jacket, Shego in one as well. They had both rugged up in multiple layers of protection from gear that Kim kept on board, knowing they would be stepping out into hellish conditions. Kim pulled down her face mask like a bank robber and snapped her goggles into place, then adjusted her mitts and slid down the ladder.

She had dealt with cold climates before, but nothing compared to an Antarctic winter at night during a blizzard.

 _Geez Louise! This is freaky cold!_

It kind of summed up her life – from a balmy Italian summer to freezing her ass off in a desolate Antarctic wasteland.

She stamped her feet to keep warm as Shego came into view and smiled despite the seriousness of the situation. She was on an actual mission with Shego. No being thrown together to help Shego and her brothers or working to defeat a rogue A.I. They were on an official mission, together. Reminiscing about the past also brought up the last time they had been around hovercrafts and ladders. They had both been in skimpy bikinis on a tropical island, followed by Shego embarrassing the heck out of her with some strategic wolf whistling.

 _Yeah, she got me good_ , she thought, blushing at the memory. _Wish I was brave enough to get a revenge whistle in right now._

She stepped to the side as Shego landed beside her, and even as rugged up as Shego was, she still found her sexy.

 _She could be wearing anything, and I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes off her_.

It was strange not having to help her mission partner to their feet. She was so used the way Ron invariable ended up on the ground with his pants around his ankles. It had been cute and endearing back in the day, and she kind of missed it.

 _Not that I'd complain if her pants fell down_.

She saluted Sadie that they were set, the rope ladder disappearing up into the cloaked hovercraft before Sadie took herself away to a safe distance.

"Let's get inside," Shego yelled over the howling gale. "The mercury just hit minus a hundred, and it's still dropping."

"Transport first," Kim yelled in reply, pointing towards where the downed ship would be.

They took a few steps – and a missile slammed into them.

There was no way to survive such an attack, then out of the smoke and dust a bolt of green plasma streaked skywards. It slammed into something invisible, the resulting explosion turning it bright as day, a boiling, flaring sun briefly filling the sky. Then the shockwave hit, rolling across the landscape. Before darkness once again claimed the world.

Kim stood there in just her battlesuit with an arm outstretched, her hand up and fingers splayed as she maintained her forcefield. She stood in a circle of untouched snow, Shego by her side. Whatever craft Shego had hit, there was nothing left, and Kim stared in sorrow at the sky, knowing that Shego's retaliation had been pure reflex – just like her own when she had registered the incoming missile.

 _Whatever she hit, that explosion wasn't normal_ , Kim thought, dropping her arm.

"Quick thinkin', Princess. That was fuckin' awesome."

"Well, anything's–"

"Don't you dare say it!"

"–possible for a Possible!"

Kim smirked at Shego's facepalm, then paid attention to all the warnings flashing across her suit's HUD. Her eyes darted across the various readings, the radiation and exotic particles worrying her briefly. It was the suit's imminent failure on maintaining her body temperature that caused her the most concern. On reflex she brought up her wrist kimmunicator, then remembered they were on their own.

"Transport then inside," Kim said. "Suits having issues with the weather."

"I don't doubt," Shego replied, looking her over.

Kim noticed the look and it was no different than any other time from their past. However, she now knew where Shego's orientation lay and blushed despite herself. The suit fit her like a glove and accentuated her slim curves, and for the first time she was struck by how sexy it could appear to others, especially Shego. She hurried off with Shego following, feeling that heated gaze on her every step of the way.

 _I feel like I'm wearing lingerie_. Which was stupid. _Get yer head in the game, Possible!_

They quickly entered the tangled remains of the transport's fuselage, and she set about checking the bodies as Shego waited nearby. There were no survivors as expected, but she was never one to just assume. She actually felt a little relief that Amazingman's remains weren't here. It would have been way too painful to find him in person.

 _Rest in peace, big guy_ , Kim thought, sadly.

"Done?" Shego asked.

"Yeah, I'm done," she replied, standing up.

"After that light show, they know we're coming."

"I know." She clenched her fists. "So let's go say hello."

She looked out of the fuselage, no way to know if they were safe or not. Where there had been one unseen craft there could be more, and next time she might not be so quick to react. She glanced at Shego knowing her battlesuit's cloaking field wouldn't cover the both of them, so she trusted her instincts. With a nod, they both ran across the open ground with senses on high-alert. Nothing happened. And they entered the hangar bay through the massive hole in its door.

The only illumination came from the emergency lighting along the walls. It was barely enough to see by, but that was all they needed..

 _One undamaged transport. Room for two more. And bodies_. She quickly checked the downed agents, all of them quite dead. _Energy based wounds, so definitely not your run of the mill type villain. But we already knew that_.

"They took out the communications tower, so why cut the power as well?" Shego muttered.

"Maybe an accident?" Kim said, joining her. "Or maybe they can see in the dark?"

They both looked around at all the darkened recesses in the room.

"Great, now I'm getting a John Carpenter's 'The Thing' vibe," Shego said.

"Tell me about it," Kim said.

They stealthily made their way over to the main airlock door and looked inside. It was empty, the other end blown wide open. They glanced at each other, Kim shrugged, and they walked into the base. After the bitter cold of outside, the loading bay felt like springtime in Colorado as Kim watched her suit's readings return to normal. She looked around, the walls floor and ceiling all in the standard blue/grey color schemes of every Global Justice base. Multiple hallways led away from where they stood, while up ahead were a dozen service lifts.

"So now that we're here, why does GJ have a base in Antarctica?" Shego asked as she peeled off her gloves and heavy coat.

"Long story," Kim replied.

"We've got time."

"We really don't."

"We really do."

"Shego!"

"What? Just tell me!"

Kim sighed, knowing they didn't have time for this. She also knew that Shego wasn't going to let it drop.

 _Best to just rip the Band-Aid off_ , she thought. "Fine! The quick version then."

"Sounds good," Shego replied, her hands in her hips as she waited for Kim to continue.

Shego's stance was such a classic for Kim that she almost giggled in happy nostalgia.

"The Perses Virus, it caused a global rethink on how companies store their critical data," Kim said. "So voilà, Global Justice has a base in Antarctica for all their hard copies and confiscated tech."

"Huh…" Shego said, looking thoughtful for a moment. "So what's the plan then? Saving people is your department."

 _It was yours too, once upon a time_. But she held her tongue as she recalled the schematics of the base. It wasn't a complex structure as things went, but it was big. The main warehouse in fact took up over ninety percent of the underground floor space.

"Well, admin and the crews quarters are thataway." She pointed right. "The main warehouse is down there. "She pointed straight ahead at the lifts. "And power and electrical are that way. "She pointed left. "So you go and sort out the power, and I'll go and see to the agents."

Shego gave her a disbelieving stare.

"Um, please?" Kim asked.

"Kimmie, I meant what I said. I'm here to watch your back, nothing more."

"But we need to get the power and climate control back on, and to see to the safety of the agents!"

"Not happening, Princess!"

"Please?" She searched for an incentive. "I'll owe you big time!"

"You'll owe me?"

"Yes."

"Big time?"

"For sure."

"Fine!"

"Please and thank you."

"No, thank you," Shego said, walking away. "It's a piercing _and_ a tattoo for you… when we get back."

~o~

 _Ohh, her face when I said a piercing and tattoo_ , Shego thought as she trudged along the corridor. _So what should I have her get first? A navel piercing? A nipple piercing? Or maybe a cute little tattoo on her butt?_

She felt spoilt for choice.

 _Oh, she's going to argue and complain, but she promised_. She grinned. _Yeah, this is gonna be fun!_

She let her imagination run wild, as it was far better than acknowledging the Global Justice base she was actually in. She paused at a junction and raised a glowing hand, and read the signage on the wall before continuing on.

 _Navel piercing and a tattoo, and get her into some stylish black clothes as well_. She pictured Kim's growing ensemble. _Yeah, black suits her way better than pink_ –

She stopped as she encountered a problem. Up ahead the roof had collapsed, and blast marks on the walls showed that it was no accident. She stared at the barrier as she considered her options.

 _Can't blast it, that'll only make things worse. Digging through would take forever. Sooo… find a way around?_

She pictured Wade's schematic and how the main warehouse had many corridors leading off from it.

 _Around it is_.

She turned and ran back to the last intersection, then changed her mind and went all the way back to the first room she and Kim had started in. From there a lift door offered little resistance as she forced it open, and she cut a hole in its floor and kicked the plating loose, then shimmied down the lift's cable and out and into the pitch dark warehouse.

 _Easy. And without crawling through any air vents._ She ignited her Glow to give herself some light. _Now I'll just follow the wall_ –

Revealed by her Glow were row upon row of stacked warehouse shelving rising up to the roof and disappearing into the distance. It wasn't this that had given her pause. Nearby a forklift lay on its side, a massive glass cylinder smashed and on the ground beside it. Around the vehicle was a scene of grisly devastation. Five dead and dismembered cyborgs lay strewn about the area, blood, metal, viscera, and other fluids covering the floor.

 _These guys again?_

She slowly moved forwards, eyeing the long dark corridors between all the shelving. In her travels she had picked up whispers about the cyborgs. No one knew where they came from or where they went, or who they even worked for. They were the boogeyman – always leaving death in their wake. But she had fought them and survived, as had Kim, when no one else could.

 _They're tough as fuck. What could rip them apart like this?_

She knelt by the closest cyborg and examined his remains. There weren't many bits left to check. Half a chest, some leg, and a whole arm were all that she had to work with. She leaned in close, then shot to her feet.

 _He's got fucking bite marks! I'm in a warehouse full of confiscated supervillain tech, and something ate a body made of steel!_

She spun wildly as she tried to look everywhere at once. Things with lots of teeth were a primal fear for her. She intensified her Glow and checked out the next cyborg. It wasn't any better. More bite marks and signs of being sliced apart. She wiped the sweat from her brow as she moved over to the broken glass cylinder, the reinforced glass easily an inch thick and clearly designed to house something dangerous. She leaned down and checked the base, finding it full of high-tech electronics and what appeared to be some form of cryogenics.

 _I guess… they came to steal whatever was in this_. She tapped the edge of the cylinder. _And it woke up while they were ferrying it out. Or maybe it broke free? Either way, it literally ended up biting them in the ass_. _I'd say 'well done, it'._ She nervously looked around _. But now something with a lot of teeth is loose in the building_.

She let out a big, reluctant sigh.

 _I really don't want to handle it, but I'd best take care of it since Kimmie's here._

" _Shego?"_

Shego jumped in surprise, Kim's voice crackling through her earpiece.

" _Shego, are you there?"_

Shego swore then touched her earpiece, activating it.

"I'm here, what's up?"

" _The jamming's gone, so I thought I'd touch base."_

 _And give me a fucking heart attack!_ she thought, resting her hands on her hips. "Well, consider it touched. Encounter anything interesting yet? Or Any bad guys?"

" _No, just lots of stuck bulkheads. Wade thinks an EMP went off, so that's why the base is dark. How are things your end?"_

"Our friendly neighborhood cyborgs are back."

" _I'm on my way!"_

"Stay there, they're already taken care of."

" _Really?"_

"Get to the agents, Princess. And I'll have the power back on soon." She looked at the trail of blood and other fluids leading away. _Once I've dealt with our mystery jailbreak_.

" _Roger that, Kim out."_

"Ciao."

Shego followed the trail, and as luck would have it, it headed towards the power station. Weapon damage along the walls showed her that at least one cyborg had survived and was in full-retreat.

 _Build a secret base and fill it with all the outlandish doodads you confiscate from supervillains, and this is the only possible outcome._

She passed the remains of another cyborg, just a hand left uneaten.

 _What a bunch of morons GJ are_.

She slowed when she spotted a light at the end of the hallway, and cancelled her Glow. On high-alert, she heard it first, the sound of something chewing on metal. It was like nails on a chalkboard to her. Steeling herself, she continued on, needing to survey the creature first.

 _Know your enemy, then nuke 'em from orbit!_

She reached the end of the corridor and peeked around the corner.

 _Oh!_

The things back was to her, and it was easily ten feet tall, roughly humanoid but without a head, and made of writhing, twisting metal. In one of its hands it held the still-living torso of a female cyborg, and as Shego watched, the cyborg futilely raised an arm as it was lifted up, its body spasming as its head was bitten off.

Shego almost threw up at the crunching sound, so took a moment to calm herself before stepping into the room. She went unnoticed as she positioned herself behind the thing, watching as fresh tendrils of metal grew along its twisted hide.

"Hey! Snack time's over!" she called out, her hands erupting in green flames. _Whatever the hell you are_.

"Sheeeego?" the thing replied.

Shego went pale as a ghost – that voice, it haunted her dreams. Its bearer present in all her nightmares.

"Is that really you-u-u?" it asked.

"Mendelos…?" she whispered, her Glow petering out.

The thing turned to face her, a Frankenstein's monster brought back to life. Within the constructs chest sat a huge, pulsating, brain-like blob, its grayish, oozing skin suffused by a black glow. Multiple human-like eyes stared down at her, a vertical mouth filled with razor sharp teeth running the full length of its grotesque form.

Mendelos grinned at her, and took a step towards her.

She stepped back and tripped to the floor, terrorfied out of her mind.

 _He's dead! He's head! He's dead! He can't be real! He can't be_ –

"Myyyyy Sheeeego," Mendelos said, saliva and bits of half-dissolved cyborg oozing from his lipless maw. He took another step and extended a metallic hand.

"No…" she mouthed.

"You always come back to me-e-e." He raised the remains of the cyborg and tossed it aside. "We are meant to be, and together we will achieve my glorious plan."

She shook her head as a tiny voice inside her screamed at her to run or to fight, or do something, anything, but it was drowned out by her overwhelming terror.

"Stand!" he ordered.

She jerked to her feet.

"Come to me!"

She took one unsteady step, then another, the conditioning still there even after all this time.

He loomed over her, his horrific form filling her world, then he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her high into the air. She hung there and feebly clawed at his hands as dozens of tentacles disgorged themselves from his body and wrapped themselves around her arms and legs, holding her spread-eagled before him. She tried to turn her head as an elongated tongue oozed from his mouth, the oily proboscis running across her lips as some sort of kiss.

"You are mine!" he rasped in glee.

"No… please…" she croaked.

"To do with as I please!"

She screamed in pain as tentacles pierced her wrists and feet, crucifying her.

"You cannot escape your destiny. That you will be the mother, originator, goddess of my creations." His mouth moved into a rictus-grin, his fetid breath making her gag. A second tongue wrapped itself around her ankle, shredding her pants and drawing blood as it circled its way up her leg and under her shorts.

"Together we shall be worshipped as gods," he burbled. He raised two scissor-like appendages, the blades coming to rest over her wrists. "Now let's remove those troublesome hands of yours. We can't have you escaping like last time."

She stared into those merciless, unblinking eyes, hope and sanity dying within her.

~o~

"GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU MONSTER!" Kim screamed as she sprinted into room.

The techno-organic horror turned to look at her, and she used its distraction to her full advantage. She turned invisible, then appeared flying through the air between it and Shego and let off an EMP. Spinning, she sliced Shego free, then caught her and kicked off the beast, and brought herself and Shego away to a safe distance. She quickly laid Shego on the floor, then put herself between Shego and the monstrosity, ready for anything.

"Myyyy… my, my, wh-what do we ha-ha-haaaave here?" the thing said in a statico voice, a blending of human and something utterly alien.

"I'm Kim Possible, and I won't let you touch her again!"

"She-e-e is mine!"

"Sorry, no Frankenstein's bride for you!"

"You-u-u cannot stop a god!"

"I can do anything! Especially if it means keeping whoever you are away from her!"

"Whoever I am?" He shook with laughter as he stepped forwards. "I am Mendelos, your God! And I won't let you interfere with my great work!"

 _He's not dead?_ She pushed that thought aside, as he clearly wasn't. _She said he'd been mutated, but I never imagined how bad! Or how insane it made him!_

"Now, die!" Mendelos stated.

A metallic, spear-like protuberance shot out from Mendelos' exoskeleton almost faster than the eye could see.

Kim didn't even flinch as she raised an arm, a shimmering blue forceshield coalescing into view to block the attack. Three more protuberance followed, spearing at her chest. She blocked two of them with catlike grace, the third she cut in two with a glowing green energy blade extending from the back of her wrist.

"Impressive. But you're only human," he stated.

"You'll find I'm full of surprises!" Kim said, staring him down.

She watched a tendril rise into the air and thin until it disappeared, the stubby base whipping out towards her. She dodged on instinct even though it was falling far short, shocked as a chunk of her hair fell to the floor. She dived to the side as it lashed out again, nothing to see.

 _Geezus! A monofilament whip!_

A dozen more monofilament whips lashed out at her, and she flipped away turning invisible.

Mendelos snorted in annoyance.

"Very im-im-impressive, but you cannot hide forever," he rasped.

"Wade, ideas?" she subvocalized, standing guard over Shego.

"Working on it," Wade replied, his worried face in the corner of her HUD. "His bio signs are all over the place, as are his energy readings. Definitely stay away from his organics, don't even touch them. But the exoskeleton… that seems to be a weak point, as dangerous as it is.

"Roger that."

She fired her wrist grapple fun at the far wall and launched herself up and over him, and landed behind him. She decloaked then slashed through his metallic legs. It definitely unbalanced him, but the damage appeared to instantly mend itself. It also enraged him. She dodged and weaved and hacked off every attacking appendage, her suit giving her a perfect 360° view of the world along with the skills and reflexes to take advantage of this. She dived and rolled and went invisible, then popped back up on the far side of him and let out an EMP before leaping forwards to hack off more wiry tentacles.

"Enough!" Mendelos roared.

Kim threw up her forcefield as dozens of blades came at her at once, blocking them all. Then the world went dark as Mendelos surged over her barrier, his lethal attacks pounding away on her shield.

She was safe, but trapped.

"Wade, problem."

"I see it," he replied, slurping on his drink in concentration.

She turned around looking for an opening, and spotted a tendril from Mendelos heading towards Shego.

"Hurry!"

"Okay, I've got an idea, but the suit's not designed for it yet," he replied. "I'll have to activate it from my end."

"Understood. What's the plan?"

"I'll rapidly expand the forcefield out from you. It'll push everything away while giving you time to escape. However, the structural integrity of your shield will weaken, so there's a high chance an attack will get through."

"It's the best we've got." She readied herself. "Do it!"

She dived towards Shego, the forcefield exploding out from her.

She cried out in agony as multiple blades pierced her flesh, and landed awkwardly and collapsed, barely able to move – yet she did. Pushing through the pain, she cut herself free and turned back towards Mendelos. She found that the villain had fared much worse from her escape. He lay on the far side of the room, his exoskeleton a pile of twisted metal around him. Even as she watched it started to reform over him.

"Kim?" Wade said, his face filled with worry.

"I'm fine," she replied. "It's no big." She quickly checked behind her, Shego curled up and safe. With that in mind, she grabbed one of the pieces of metal piercing her shoulder and pulled it out; relying on her suit to staunch the bleeding for now. She dropped it to the ground, the metal solid and unyielding without Mendelos' influence.

She teared up as she removed the rest of the bloody barbs, then gritted her teeth and stood, and painfully limped over to Mendelos.

"You're beaten, give it up!" she snapped.

"You cannot defeat a god!" Mendelos replied. "You're only human!"

"I'm more than enough to beat the likes of you!"

"Never!" He regurgitated seven small spheres, and a few seconds later the mini-bombs began to beep. "I'll survive, as will she." He flicked his eyes towards Shego. "But you, you will die!"

He started laughing, the black glow around him intensifying.

"Wade?"

Wade stared at his screen, his face turning pale.

"Run, Kim! Grab Shego and run! You're over the fusion reactor, and it'll take out the whole base when it goes!"

She wanted to run, needed to, but her injuries were too severe. The best she could manage was a quick hobble, the pain almost making her pass out as she picked Shego up. She felt tears in her eyes for all the trapped agents, but there was no way to save them in time.

She limped from the room, Mendelos' insane laughter ringing in her ears.

 _We're not going to make it!_ The hallway impossibly long, the exit and safety even further away.

She tightened her grip on Shego, her hands slick with their blood. She almost stumbled as her legs shook, clutching Shego tighter.

 _Maybe by myself, but I won't leave her._

She felt a wave of dizziness, then the pain from her injuries was gone. How, she had no idea, but she wasn't going to question the miracle.

 _We have a chance!_

She sprinted for the exit as hard and as fast as she could, Shego held tightly in her arms.

~o~

Kim stumbled as she hit the deep snow outside the base, then Sadie materialized in front of her. She leaped aboard the hovercraft, Sadie instantly flying them away to safety.

Tears and congratulations could wait. As could Kim's own injuries.

"Sadie, get us to a hospital– Wait! No. Get us back to Italy!"

"Okay," Sadie replied.

Kim shuffled to the back of the hovercraft and gently laid Shego on the large seat and took stock of her injures. Shego's wrists and feet were covered in congealed blood, Mendelos' vicious looking spikes piercing all the way through. However, they weren't what worried Kim the most, it was Shego's catatonic state.

 _You believed he was dead_ , she thought, resting a hand on Shego's forehead. _And I know I can't help you with that. Only family can._

She pushed her worry aside, as there was something she could do for Shego. She eyed the spikes, and for a normal person she would leave them in for a doctor to remove, but Shego healed. So she dragged out the medical kit, then gently grasped a spike in Shego's foot.

"This'll hurt, a lot!" _So I really hope you're out of it. 'Cause none of my painkillers will work on you._

She deftly pulled the spike out, then quickly covered the bleeding wound with gauze. There had been no reaction from Shego, so she bound the wound then moved onto the next spike.

Shego did not utter a word or flinch at any of them. She appeared totally out of it.

"All done. You're safe now," Kim said, kissing Shego on the brow.

She kicked all the medical waste to the side and sat down, then gently moved Shego's head onto her lap. She teared up as Shego weakly curled up against her, and only then did she feel the violent trembling coming from her.

~o0o~

"Kim, we're over Italy," Sadie said.

Kim turned her attention away from Shego and looked out over the side of the hovercraft, the Mediterranean and the shape of Italy far below. She watched it expand as Sadie angled the hovercraft down, and soon enough San Siro then the Sacks' mansion came into view. She stayed with Shego as they landed, Hego, the Wegos, and Mr. and Mrs. Sacks anxiously waiting for them on the front porch.

Hego ran and jumped into the hovercraft and knelt before her.

"I've got her," he said, holding out his arms for Shego.

Kim did not want to let go, but she did. Reluctantly letting Hego pick up his sister and carry her inside. She followed at his heels, everyone silent around her. They made their way upstairs, the hallway and the door to Shego's room all repaired. It's what happens when you have an army of Wegos at your disposal.

Shego's room was spotlessly clean, fresh sheets on the bed, while an IV drip and other medical supplies stood nearby.

Hego gently lay Shego on the bed, then set about inserting an IV line into Shego's unresisting arm. He seemed quite competent at it, and it was a side of him that Kim had never really seen before. It made sense to her that he would have some medical knowledge as team leader, and she silently acknowledged that she really did not know that much about each of Shego's brothers.

 _I'll add it to my to do list_ , she thought, resisting her natural inclination to pace back and forth. _Once she's better._

"Kim, you should go take a shower, and change," Mrs. Sacks said. "Then we can talk about what happened."

 _What? No!_ "I'm fine–"

"You really do need a shower," Wesley said.

"Yeah, you do," Wendell said. "So use mine in case we need yours."

Kim looked at them all then down at herself. Gone was the pristine white of her battlesuit, dried blood all down one side and even more on her hands and arms. She could only imagine what her face and hair must look like. And to top it all off she was lightheaded and absolutely starving.

 _Geez, I'm a total mess._ She glanced back at Shego and reluctantly accepted her fate. "Okay, a quick one."

She grabbed the first set of clothes she could find from her suitcase and rushed from the room, Wendell's suite at the end of the hallway. His bedroom reminded her of Ron's as she passed through, quickly closing the bathroom door behind her. She tossed her change of clothes onto the counter, then caught her reflection in the mirror.

The person looking back at her was almost unrecognizable.

 _Oh_ …

She had dirt, blood, tears and other horrible substances all over her face, neck and suit, her own haunted eyes staring back at her. She wiped at a particularly dark smudge on her brow, her gaze drifting up to her ruined hair. She turned her head this way and that, the missing chunk glaringly obvious from every angle.

 _I-I didn't realize how close–_ she thought, running her fingers through her shortened locks. _Half an inch closer and I would've been killed._

She was used to facing death on her missions, so this change to her hair was a far more distressing problem. It would need a particularly good hairdresser to fix. She sighed, then turned her attention to the next issue.

 _Multiple sharp force traumas. This isn't going to be good._

She pulled out the medical kit from under the cabinet, and lay needle, thread, anesthetic and lots of painkillers on the benchtop.

"Kilo-India-Mike, One-One-Zero-Zero-Six, Pandaroo," she muttered.

She braced herself at what she would find as the battlesuit retracted back into its bracelet, then stared in surprise. All her injuries were nothing more than angry, red welts on her skin, not even any pain with the suit gone. She gently poked one of the wounds, feeling only a slight discomfort.

 _Well… okay, this happened. It's like totally normal, not!_

She shivered at the implication, then pushed it aside and stepped in the shower.

 _I'll talk with Wade about it tomorrow, or the next day_ …

~o~

Kim trotted back down the hallway, then slowed as she neared Shego's doorway. From inside she could hear deep, wracking sobs and softly murmured words of comfort from Mrs. Sacks. She paused with her hand on the door, then stepped back. She ached to go in, but knew Shego would hate to be seen like this. So she waited outside. She slid to the floor with her back against the wall, choking up at Shego's pain.

 _That monster ruined her life, and then he's back. Why isn't he dead?_

She did not like the implications that Global Justice had been involved both times. Chewing on her lip, she looked up as the door opened, a haggard looking Hego stepping out. She jumped to her feet, eyeing the darkened room.

"How is she?" Kim asked, keeping her voice low.

Hego glanced back into the room, then took Kim's elbow and led her down the hallway to the sunroom at the end.

"She's… resting for now," he said, his voice strained. "But she's not good. She'll heal, physically. A lot faster thanks to you. But mentally– How is that _monster_ still alive?"

"I don't know, I'm as much in the dark as you. _But I aim to find out._

"Those– those cads!" he snapped, accidently smacking a hole through the wall. "Over and over, they told me he was dead. That he wasn't there." He collapsed into a seat, face in his hands. "And I believed them."

"That'd be Global Justice?" she said, a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes," he said, looking up at her. "She told you about that night? What happened?"

"She did."

He looked surprised then hopeful, then a lot more.

"She's never told anyone before."

They both turned as they heard Margaret call out for Hego, the two of them rushing back.

She followed Hego into the bedroom and positioned herself out of the way by the doorway. It was quite cold inside, the air-conditioning turned way up. The only light came from outside, Shego curled up beneath the heavy covers with Margaret sitting on the bed beside her.

"Henry, can you please stay with her?" Mrs. Sacks asked. "She's finally drifted off, and I don't want to leave her alone while I go and talk with Alan for a bit."

"I'll do it," Kim said, stepping forwards.

Mrs. Sacks rubbed her tired eyes and gave Kim a brittle smile.

"Of course, dear. I know she'd love that," Mrs. Sacks said. She brushed Shego hair aside and kissed her on the forehead, then kissed her again. Standing slowly, she met Kim by the end of the bed and pulled her into a fierce hug. "Thank you for saving my darling girl. I can't stop thinking about what would have happened if she'd encountered that monster all by herself."

"I-I know," Kim replied, returning the hug.

"I won't be too long, and I'll have the boys make up the couch for you downstairs."

"Please and thank you, but I'd prefer to stay with her."

"I know. We'll see."

Mrs. Sacks stepped away and wiped her eyes, and with a worried glance at Shego left the room with Hego in tow.

Kim watched them go, then moved around the bed and sat down next to Shego. Shego was curled up into a fetal position, her raven-black hair in complete disarray. She always looked so peaceful while sleeping, but now her face was haggard and deathly pale. Kim hated it, hated what this insane madman from Shego's past had done to her, and knew she would never stop until he had been taken down.

 _Hey you, it's gonna be okay_ , she thought.

She reached out for Shego, but realized she might accidentally wake her. So instead she crossed her hands on her lap instead.

 _I'll be here if you need me, or even if you don't. But you'll never be alone while I'm around._

It was as Shego had heard her thoughts, a hand finding its way out from under the covers. Kim swallowed back her emotions at the fresh bandage around Shego's wrist and at the IV line in her arm. She fought the good fight for a good half-a-second before she took Shego's hand, those pale-green fingers twitching against her own.

 _Not how I pictured us first holding hands when I came to visit._

She sat there in silence, stewing in her own thoughts, but eventually the chilly conditions got the best of her. Luckily her suitcase was only a few steps away. So she removed her hand from Shego's and went to stand.

"Stay," Shego mumbled, her words slurred by the heavy painkillers.

Kim paused.

"Please?"

"Hey, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere," Kim said. "I'm just–"

"Don' leave me."

Kim could hear it in Shego's voice, see it in her eyes, she was terrified to be alone. Leaving her for even a second was not an option. She smiled encouragingly and moved across the bed, then slipped beneath the covers. She tried to keep it as chaste as possible, then wondered what to do next.

Shego made it easy for her, shuffling closer and curling up against her chest.

"I've got you," Kim whispered, slipping her arms around Shego. "I won't leave you. I've got you."

Shego pushed herself even closer and whimpered in relief.

Kim gently stroked Shego's back until she felt her relax, Shego's breathing eventually slowing. Kim didn't stop until Shego had fallen asleep, then realized how tired she was herself. It had been a big, dramatic, terrifying day, so she didn't fight the call, drifting off with Shego in her arms.

 **~o0o~**

There ya go, they're falling asleep together at last. You're welcome. Oh, and other things happened as well.

~o0o~


	12. Together

**~o0o~**

The control room was cold, empty and silent, the only illumination coming from eight large monitors up on the wall. Each screen held a frozen image – that of the death of a cyborg at Global Justice's Antarctic base. All of them were from a cyborg's perspective. Seven of the images were of Mendelos. While the third … it showed a green ball of fire streaking towards the viewer.

From up on the command deck came the click of a button and one of the screens went dark. It was followed by second click and a third until only the screen with the green fire remained.

Janus leaned forwards in his chair, his intense gaze never leaving the image. He sat there with his hands clasped In front of him until a door opened down below, a henchman nervously shuffling in.

"Sir, they're almost here!" the henchman announced.

Janus raised a finger in acknowledgement, the henchman quickly backing out.

Janus left the image on the screen and exited the room, striding through his massive underwater base. Where his gaze fell henchmen moved a little faster, none wishing to raise their master's ire; and this was right and proper. Soon enough he arrived at the hangar bay, the smell of the ocean heavy in the air. His steady pace took him over to the room's dark, watery portal, a hovercraft rising from the undersea pool and landing nearby.

Janus stood there in silence, watching as the canopy slid back.

"Report!" he demanded, stepping forwards.

A henchman aboard the hovercraft stiffened at his voice, spinning about to give him a quick salute.

Janus ignored him and turned towards his favored lieutenant in the back of the hovercraft.

"We got her," Alphanso Malle said as he stood up, a woman in a prison jumpsuit sitting beside him. She appeared quite normal until you took in her light grey skin, long dark grey hair, and electric blue eyes that roamed the hangar bay with interest.

"My dear Electronique!" Janus said, a black-gloved hand raised in greeting.

"Dr. Drakken?" Electronique replied.

Janus managed to hold in his temper at that name.

"No. No you're not, are you?" she said, her voice filled with curiosity.

"Very perceptive of you," Janus replied. "I am Janus, and not that cretinous failure that you mentioned."

"And I prefer Marika Zavodny, and not that nasty persona who caused so much trouble for the world."

"Understandable." He stepped to the side, gesturing for her to join him. "Welcome to my lair."

"It's not like I had a choice. Your metal goon here dragged me out of my prison cell!"

"You'll have to forgive Alphanso. He's a loyal lieutenant and very eager to play with his new body. But we can discuss all that later. Come, let me show you why I brought you here."

"I won't build it, you know?" she said, exiting the hovercraft. "I've told the American government, and all the secret agents who've visited me, I won't build another Reverse Polarizer." She crossed her arms in defiance, exposing her chunky, power dampening wristwear. "That time of my life, of being evil, is no longer a part of me."

"But, my dear, I don't want you to build me a Reverse Polarizer."

"You don't?"

"You seem surprised?"

"I–I am. That's all anyone ever wants from me. Then why–"

"Why, for your amazing intellect, of course!"

Electronique smiled at the compliment, then frowned.

"I won't help you with anything that's illegal or wrong," she stated flatly.

"I know." He pointed at a distant door. "Please follow me, and I'll show you how you can assist me in my endeavors without compromising your values."

"And if I say no?"

"Then I shan't bring it up again."

She nodded and took his offered arm, the two of them walking out of the hangar bay with Alphanso in tow. Janus made small-talk as they went, one scientist to another. He kept the conversion away from where they were or who he was, and instead kept it on Electronique and her life.

"And here we are, my Brain Trust!" Janus said, stopping outside a nondescript door.

"Brain Trust?"

"A working title, for now."

He stepped up to the door and it opened, a wave of warm, damp air rushing out. Dim green lights barely illuminated the walls, the center dominated by a massive glass tank. There were things floating in the water of the tank, but it was too dark to tell what they were.

Janus strode in, followed by a hesitant Electronique, then Alphanso, the door closing behind them.

"Welcome to my latest masterpiece!" Janus announced, throwing a switch.

Brilliant, bright light filled the circular room, its floor, walls and ceiling all a pristine white. High-tech equipment hugged the walls, the objects in the tank now clearly visible.

"NO!" Electronique screamed, a hand over her mouth in horror.

Severed heads floated in the tank, their skulls wired up to a central pillar rising through the structure. They were still alive, their pain-filled eyes staring out at Electronique as their mouths opened and closed in soundless screams. How many there were it was hard to tell, heroes, villains, scientists and more, all hooked up to the infernal device.

"I had a minor setback in Antarctica, but you were already on my list to join my Brain Trust!" Janus said.

Electronique turned to run, but Alphanso grabbed her by the throat and lifted her high into the air. She struggled and scratched at his metal skin as she was carried across the room, her efforts in vain against his superior cyborg strength. She was slammed into a seat and strapped into place, a metal box-like contraption pulled down over her head and locked it into place.

"She's secure," Alphanso stated.

Janus turned away from the tank and looked Electronique over, then unclasped his hands from behind his back and sat down at a computer terminal. With a few deft clicks of a mouse, soft, soothing music filled the room, helping to drown out Electronique's cries of terror. He adjusted various settings on the screen before nodding to himself, then he pressed a big red button on the console.

Electronique's whole body stiffened, her blood curdling screams abruptly cut short.

A long, sinuous robot arm detached itself from the ceiling and lifted out Electronique's freshly severed head, then neatly deposited it into the tank – where another set of robot arms quickly and efficiently wired up her skull to the central pillar.

Janus checked the readings on the monitor, then walked over to the glass tank and stared into Electronique's pain-filled eyes.

"As you can see, I have no need of your past trinkets. I have your memories, your knowledge, and your creativity all at my fingertips. All helping me to take over the world."

He watched her mouth open and close.

"But first, let us find this miscreant called Mendelos!"

~o0o~

Kim woke with a start, her troubling dreams slipping away like mist on a sunny morn. She gently stretched as she opened her eyes, Shego still curled up in her arms. Neither seemed to have moved much during the night and that suited Kim just fine. She was here to comfort and protect Shego and there was no need to worry about their intimate situation.

She let out a happy sigh and relaxed back onto her pillow.

"I've got you, you're safe," she whispered, and she gently stroked Shego's back.

She delicately kissed Shego atop her head, Shego's unique aroma enveloping her senses. It was an unmistakable scent, slightly exotic and one that Kim had never been able to place anywhere else. In the past it had always triggered a rush of fear, adrenaline, and excitement throughout her body, but these days it only highlighted how much she desired the woman in her arms.

She bit her lip, very aware of Shego's warm breath down the front of her shirt.

 _Be good!_

She had been so worried for Shego last night, that she had barely paid any attention to what Margaret had dressed Shego in for bed. Right now, she was acutely aware of Shego's blood-red silk pajamas against her skin. There was something about the way the fabric contoured to Shego's body, revealing her curvy features just as much as it hid. It was incredibly sexy.

 _I never really noticed… how well red and green go together. Just like us_.

She shifted slightly and glanced down, right into Shego's eyes.

"Hey, you're awake. How're you feeling?" Kim asked, gesturing with her gaze at Shego's bandages.

Shego said nothing in reply as she searched Kim's face, looking for something.

"How did you know?" Shego asked, her voice dry and scratchy.

"Did I know?" Kim replied.

"That I was in trouble. With… Mendelos."

 _Oh_. "Well, you said 'they're taken care of'. For the cyborgs, that is. Not 'I took care of them'. It told me something was off. So I came looking for you. And since Wade keeps track of everything, like through the earpiece, I knew what was happening."

"Should thank my rescuer," Shego murmured.

"Sleeping in is thanks enough," Kim replied, smiling.

Shego barely nodded in understanding, closing her eyes.

Kim felt relief that none of the pain and horror from last night was evident on Shego's face, so she didn't push her questioning. She lay there and waited for Shego to move, yet it did not come. For a moment she thought that Shego may have fallen back to sleep, but then Shego's hands twisted in the hem of her shirt. More than ever she became aware of Shego's warm breath and closeness and that for the first time they were actually in bed together, as a kind of couple. She forced herself to relax and let her fingers drift across Shego's back, feeling the play of muscles beneath the silk top.

"Perfect," Kim whispered in happiness.

"Hm?" Shego mumbled in reply.

 _Oh! Um_ … "Are you sure you're okay?" Kim asked, covering up her slip of the tongue.

A bandaged wrist was thrust up in front of her face. It was Shego's left arm and it was missing the IV line from last night. Kim felt a tinge of worry at its absence, then she pushed it aside and delicately unwound the bandage.

She grimaced at all the dried blood, but it simply flaked away to reveal pure, unblemished skin. Turning Shego's hand this way and that, she softly probed the former injury.

"And your feet?" Kim asked, glancing down the bed. "They had broken bones."

"They're fine," Shego replied as she stretched out her legs, wiggling her toes beneath the covers.

Kim opened her mouth to comment, then lost her train of thought as Shego snuggled back into her.

Something had changed between them overnight.

Something new.

Something wonderful.

"And how are your injuries?" Shego asked, her voice muffled by Kim's chest.

"I'm fine," Kim replied, her eyes wide as she stared up at the ceiling.

"Kimmie!" Shego growled, and she pulled back to glare at her.

"It's true!" Kim said. "They're no big, honest!" She adjusted her shirt to show off two well-healed injuries on her side. "See? No need to kiss my boo-boos any better."

Shego's frown softened as she took in Kim's injuries, then she rested her hand over the larger wound on Kim's waist.

 _Oh geez!_ Kim thought, her toes curling.

She stopped breathing as her puckered skin was lightly stroked, her shirt shuffled out of the way for a closer view.

"Are you sure I don't need to kiss them any better?" Shego whispered, leaning in.

 _Wh-What–?_

Kim's shocked expression was priceless as Shego's warm breath caressed her side, soft lips teasing her sensitive skin in the lightest of kisses. Off-balance, there was nothing going through her mind, then heat, fire, desire, want, and need all ignited and blossomed forth at once. She managed not to react or say anything; afraid that if she spoke or moved she would break this magical spell.

"Where else?" Shego whispered, her lips trailing their way up Kim's side to another wound.

Kim weakly pointed at her shoulder, a soundless moan of desire escaping her throat as her shirt was pulled down to reveal a tanned shoulder. It felt like her brain was going to melt as Shego's lips found the next well-healed injury, Shego's teeth lightly scraping her flushed skin.

"Any more? Shego whispered as she gracefully straddled Kim's leg, moving up and over Kim's body so they were eye to eye.

Kim couldn't remember much of the Mendelos fight right now. She could barely remember her own name. She tapped her scalp where her hair had been sliced short, hoping against hope that Shego would get her meaning.

Shego nodded, and kissed her brow. Then kissed her cheek. Then raised an eyebrow in question.

Kim was not sure how she did it, but a shaking finger touched her lip.

Shego gave her a smile and brushed a stray curl from Kim's face, the caress feeling like it was electrified. Kim tried to gather her thoughts, lost in that piercing emerald gaze, her chest heaving as Shego advanced. Coming in closer and closer, Shego's exotic aroma bombarding her senses. Closer still, until she could see nothing but pale green skin surrounded by raven-black hair.

 _Please!_

And as her eyelids closed, their faces millimeters apart, her world exploded as pale green lips found her own. The kiss was so unbelievably soft and gentle, a molten heat rushing through her. She arched against Shego, lost in the moment.

Then it was gone. Too soon. Warmth turning back into cold.

She opened her eyes, Shego looking down at her with a mixture of desire and uncertainty on her face.

It felt like an eternity as Kim drank it all in, then they both crashed back together, kissing the life out of each other. Kim didn't think, a years worth of pent up desires taking over. She buried her fingers in Shego's hair. Curling her hands around the silken strands as she tried to pull her closer. To devour her. She growled as Shego sat up, trying to follow; hands reaching out. But she was pushed back down, which only increased her arousal.

Shego arched back and ripped off her pajama top, buttons flying everywhere. Then she threw the shredded remains away, breaking something as they went.

Kim didn't even notice.

She stared at those perfect breasts with raw, wanton lust burning in her eyes, wishing she was wearing something sexier than the clothes she had thrown on last night. They weren't even pajamas. She was grabbed by her shirt and pulled up. A flare of green, then another, and her top was left in tatters, her bra offering no resistance at all. Chest to glorious chest she admired the expanse of pale green skin before her, their breasts rising and falling against each other's. She bit her lip then threw her arms around Shego's neck and passionately kissed her, the two of them tumbling back onto the covers.

"–Should knock," came the voice of Wesley as the bedroom door swung open.

"It's fine–" Hego replied, then he froze as he took in Shego's and Kim's situation.

Shego rose to her knees with a frustrated, angry cry, her fingers curled like claws as her Glow erupted along her entire arm.

Hego let out a high-pitched squeal as he jumped back out of the room, pulling the door shut as he went. Only then did Kim register that she hadn't covered herself. She was mortified that she had been seen like this and, distracted, she reacted far too slowly as Shego rolled off the bed and stormed off into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Shego," Kim mouthed, her hand outstretched.

She stared at the bathroom door with longing, and while her heart and body told her to go and knock, her head told her that the moment was gone.

 _It's so not fair!_

She wasn't one to cuss, but she really felt like letting one loose right now. She pulled the sheet around her and tried to calm down, a feat she found profoundly difficult. A year of fantasizing and dreaming about being with Shego and she had been so close.

 _I'd let her do anything to me. I want her to!_ She touched her lips. _But we kissed, and almost_ …

She drifted off for a second into fantasy land, then shivered and looked around. Playing it slow was working like a charm, unfortunately Shego's brothers had the knack of interrupting them, every time.

She let out a big sigh.

Eyes on the bathroom door she slid from the bed and, keeping the sheet wrapped around her, she shuffled over to the bedroom door and locked it. She poked the offending barrier with a little more force than necessary, then made her way over to her suitcase as her glum thoughts moved on.

 _A week and a bit before I have to leave, but between now and then, me and her, there's Mendelos_. She glanced at one of the injuries on herside. _She's gonna be consumed by him. So if there's to be an us before I leave, he's gotta go down quick_.

She grabbed a fresh bra, dressing slowly as her thoughts happily dwelled on Shego.

~o0o~

Shego stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself. She had taken her time with her ablutions, a lot on her mind. Still dripping, she dried her hair with her Glow, then leaned against the counter and stared into the mirror. There was criticism in her eyes, but also the hint of a smile on her lips.

 _So I caved? I woke up in her arms. And, gods, I wanted her so bad_. She pictured a topless Kim and gripped the bench tighter. _I was going to fuck her so hard!_

The moment had been perfect. Everything had been perfect.

 _Then my idiot brother had to interrupt us, again!_ _If I didn't know any better, I'd swear he's doing it in purpose!_

She leaned her forehead against the mirror and weakly punched it, the sexual tension between them building for days. She had tried to ignore it, but it was always there, slipping out. And waking up in Kim's arms after being so heroically saved … Well, a girl could only be so strong.

 _So here I am in my bathroom, hiding_.

She turned around and slid to the floor, back against the counter.

 _I don't want to run away… again. Maybe it's time we just fucked? Get it out of my system? Get her out of my head?_

She shivered as she remembered the feel of Kim's breasts against her own, Kim's rock-hard nipples begging to be taken, sucked and nibbled on. And that kiss… She touched a heated cheek, her heart thundering away in her chest. Tingling fingers were raised as she stared at nothing, other deeper parts tingling as well. She still wanted to deny herself what she truly wanted, all for Kim's sake. But she was losing, badly. Licking her lips, she slowly took in a deep, shuddering breath and dropped her head.

 _Maybe… one date, on the down-low? See where it goes?_

The silent question hung in the air.

She wasn't stupid, she knew where even a single date would end up – the two of them having wild, mind-blowing sex all-night long.

 _I've had that body. Tasted it. Fucked it!_ She felt her mind start to wander. _Dammit!_

She ran her hands through her hair.

 _I like her. I want her. So it's about time I fuckin' owned it!_

She breathed in and out a few times as she pulled herself up, determined eyes staring back at her from the mirror. She had considered herself dead inside after losing Rachel, as no sexy spandex wearing heroine or villainess had ever turned her head. Then Kim had come along. Butterflies swirled away in her stomach, a giggly nervousness filling her.

She hadn't felt like this in years.

 _Of all the girls in all the world, it had to be her_. _Still, it doesn't mean I can't look out for her. Keep her away from all the bad shit in my life._

A plan slowly came to mind on how to deal with Mendelos, alone.

 _She'll understand, once I get back._

~o~

Kim looked up expectantly from the bed as the bathroom door opened, her jaw dropping as Shego stepped out. Eyes wide, she tried to find her voice as she admired Shego in just a towel. The thin layer of cotton didn't leave much to her imagination and she could feel all the blood rushing to her ears as she strained to keep her gaze fixed firmly upon Shego's face.

 _She only had pajama bottoms on when she left. What else was she gonna come out in._

A feeling of déjà vu washed over her. She had been here before, she and Shego in a bedroom, Shego in just a towel. It was back when she had first realized her feelings towards Shego, and the effects she was feeling right now were exactly the same as back then.

She smiled at Shego and put her book aside.

Shego glanced around the room, the balcony doors and windows thrown open to let in the mid-morning sun. She then turned her attention back to Kim and raised an eyebrow at Kim's jeans, t-shirt, jacket and boots before her gaze fixated on a business suit laid out on the bed. She frowned, clearly putting two-and-two together.

"No!" Shego stated, raising a finger.

"Just hear me out?" Kim replied, calmly.

"You're not helping me with Mendelos!"

"Let me explain–"

"There's no way I'm lettin' you anywhere near him again!"

Kim had expected this overreaction. Plus she hadn't had much time to plan and organize what was to come. Shuffling off the bed, she parked herself in front of Shego, in part to make her point but also to be closer to that barely clad body. She tried not to stare, yet her eyes drifted across the wonderful view of pale green cleavage afforded by the towel. Shego's physique was … impressive, to say the least. She itched to caress what was on display and especially the well-rounded parts that were covered.

"He's not there," Kim stated.

"What?" Shego snapped in reply.

"Mendelos. He didn't blow up the base, and he's no longer in Antarctica. But Global Justice is on site, which means–"

"That they'll most likely know where he is," Shego said, scowling.

"So we need to go and talk with them, at their HQ. If I call Dr. Director and tell her we're interested, it's gonna get messy. Cross-jurisdictional stuff and all. But if we surprise her by showing up, like unannounced and in person, well…"

"Kimmie, I'd sooner shoot myself than walk into GJ's headquarters and ask for help."

"I'll be the one asking. You'll just be there, with me. So we do this together, okay?"

Shego glanced at the clothes on the bed.

"You think you've got this all worked out, don't you?"

"I do. But it's not that bad, is it? Us working together to take down Mendelos?"

Kim could almost hear the gears grinding away in Shego's head. She had not set out to trap her like this, but there was no way she was going to let Shego run off to fight Mendelos by herself. And Shego would, Kim knew her too well.

"What about Wade? Why can't he find out what's happening?" Shego asked.

"The Antarctic base is off the grid, so there's nothing he can do right now. The best course of action is Dr. Director." She crossed her arms over her chest. "But if you don't wanna come with, then... I guess I'll go talk to her by myself?"

 _One_... Kim counted off in her head.

She uncrossed her arms and turned towards the door.

 _Two_ …

She took a step.

 _Three_ –

A pale green hand shot out and gently grabbed Kim's wrist. She looked back at Shego, an eyebrow raised in question even as she silently cheered.

"Not without me," Shego stated.

 _Spankin!_ Kim thought. "Well, hurry up and change, and we'll–"

"And why on earth do you think I'm going to wear all that?" Shego said, pointing at the clothes on the bed. "Since when do I wear a suit and tie?"

"Why, whatever's the matter?" Kim replied in her most innocent of voices.

"The matter?" Shego snapped, hands on hips. "Don't give me this 'little miss innocent' routine." She strode over to the bed and waved a hand at the attire on offer.

 _Ohhh wow...!_ Kim thought, openly admiring Shego from behind. Shego was still damp from the shower, and her glistening legs were fully on display, and as Kim's gaze drifted higher, she bit her lip at Shego's sexy backside. She considered herself a good girl, but there was just something about Shego that brought out her animalistic side.

A low rumble came from somewhere deep in her chest, and she quickly moved up next to Shego.

"A hat? What is this crap?" Shego growled.

"You needed something appropriate to wear, since we're going to Global Justice HQ. So I asked Margaret for help. Since, you know, you don't have any clothes as yet." _And if I had any ulterior motives in getting you to wear some love heart dotted panties, I'm sure I don't know what I'm talking about_.

Shego glared at her, but Kim knew she had won. It went without saying that time was of the essence, and there was no way Shego was going to let her go off on her own. Though, as a mischievous smile played across Shego's lips, Kim felt a faint flutter of doubt.

"All right, we'll do it your way," Shego said in a voice that was far too reasonable. She grabbed the cream shirt from the bed and raised an eyebrow at Kim.

Kim gave her a blank stare in return, then understanding kicked in. She spun about and stared at the bedroom door, banished from the wonderful sight of Shego changing behind her. It felt so unfair after this morning. She naturally fantasized about the moment, of Shego tossing the towel away, stepping closer, her hands reaching out–

A towel landed on Kim's shoulder.

"Eep!?" she squeaked only to hear a chuckle from behind. "No fair, my mind was elsewhere."

"I'm sure it was," Shego replied.

Shego sounded so close that Kim closed her eyes, waiting for Shego to touch her. Nothing happened. Only silence. She pouted, but it once again brought up this morning … and what had happened.

 _Guess… there's no time like the present to ask?_ she thought. "Can we talk about this morning? Us?" There was no reply. "Shego?" Still no reply. She peeked over her shoulder and found herself alone in the bedroom.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, and picked up her backpack.

~o~

Shego sprinted around the front of the house, her expensive jacket, shoes, hat, and tie in hand. She was aiming for her motorcycle, before Kim caught on; but it would be close. She had the element of surprise on her side, but with Kim you never knew. She skidded on the grassy lawn as she rounded a corner, the open garage beckoning.

 _I never promised her we'd take down Mendelos together, and this is for her own good. I'll make her understand, when I get back._

She slid to a stop on the gravel driveway, a problem arising.

"Hey Shez, lookin' sharp," Wesley said, his friendly greeting repeated by about twenty of his copies lounging about the garage.

More importantly, they were all around her motorcycle.

"Thanks…" she warily replied. She glanced behind, no sign of Kim as yet. "Look, I'm in a hurry. Can you–"

"Nope," they all replied at once.

She pinched her nose, seeing the trap.

"Kimmie put you up to this, didn't she?"

"She sure did!"

~o0o~

"This is a truly momentous day!" Hego proclaimed for the umpteenth time. He was sitting in the back of the hovercraft with Kim and Shego, a big smile on his face. He was in his civvies, his superhero outfit underneath, Wesley and Wendell the same as they sat up front with Sadie.

"Evil doers of the world beware!" he announced, pointing a finger at the sky. "Team Go is together again!"

Shego groaned and dropped her head, wishing she could tune out her brother.

"C'mon, his enthusiasms not that bad, is it?" Kim whispered in her ear.

"Kimmie–"

"Say it with me, guys," Hego said, standing up, "Go Team Go!"

"Yeah, no. Just kill me," Shego whispered back.

She was stuck here in this hovercraft as they flew over the Pacific Ocean, on their way to New York. How Kim had been able to organize her brothers and everything else while she had been in the shower, she did not know. She glanced at Wesley and Wendell, then groaned again as Hego exuberantly let out Team Go's signature catchphrase once again.

 _And she deliberately sat between me and Henry, so I can't smack him across the back of his head and tell him to shut the fuck up._

"Only ten more minutes and we're there," Kim whispered.

 _Save me!_

It was ten minutes too long as far as she was concerned. The only silver lining on this flight from hell was that Kim was pressed up against her, Kim's arm resting on the seat behind her. A month or even a week ago, she would have moved away, but that battle had been lost. She was still unsure how to approach this new attitude, so she was taking things as they came.

She squeezed Kim's knee that she had heard, and sighed yet again.

Beep…Bee…Beep. Beep.  
Beep…Bee…Beep. Beep.

Kim's adjusted her position and leaned forwards, both hands on her kimmunicator as she answered the call.

"Hey Wade, what's the sitch?" Kim said.

"All done," Wade said triumphantly.

"What's done?" Shego asked.

"Our way into Global Justice," Kim said. "And they won't even know we're coming, because Wade's that good."

~o0o~

Kim exited the New York taxi cab, followed by Shego, the two of them standing out front of a skyscraper. This was the new face of Global Justice, the building's flashy, overt design a symbol of world safety and security. Kim shaded her eyes from the early morning sun as she looked up, her gaze returning to her partner-in-crime. Shego rocked the roguish look in her business suit, her collar undone, tie loose, and hat sitting snugly upon her head. The whole ensemble gave her a sultry, sophisticated look as far as Kim was concerned. And looking back, choosing that hat really had been a moment of whimsy, but now Kim couldn't picture Shego without.

 _I feel like we're in a fifties crime drama_ , Kim thought.

She was still in her jeans and t-shirt, but had opted for plain brown hair from her appearance changing amulet. On instinct she held out her arm for Shego, and was surprised when it was accepted. Not for the first time she wondered what was going on as, arm in arm, they walked up the stairs to the building's revolving door.

 _We almost had sex, and now we're kinda holding hands. Will wonders never cease?_

Kim was hardly surprised that Shego stepped forwards to enter the building alone, Kim following close behind. They both understood that the revolving door was full of hidden surveillance equipment. It was how these places worked. Arrive here with ill-intent and you would be in a world of trouble.

 _She's too quiet_ , Kim thought, watching Shego look around the glittery lobby. _She really doesn't like being here_. She touched Shego's arm. "This way." And she led them away from the busy reception desk and over to some lifts.

"I'm really not a fan of going in the front like this," Shego muttered.

"You prefer sneaking in the backdoor, huh?" Kim replied.

"Well… I usually ask before I do," Shego said as she dropped her eyes to Kim's backside. "'Cause it can be a lot of fun, if you know what I mean?"

Kim stared at Shego and went bright red, the lift dinging in arrival.

Shego winked at her and stepped inside the empty lift.

Kim blinked then followed, then fumbled to use the palm-scanner as her thoughts swirled.

 _She flirted with me! And said– That we–_

With a chirpy beep the scanner registered Kim's palmprint, and the lift went zooming down into the bowels of the earth. The upper levels we're all generic businesses and Global Justice administration. Deep underground was where the magic happened, it was where Central Command watched and reacted to flare ups all across the globe, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

"Cat got your tongue?" Shego asked as she reached out and unclasped Kim's choker, her fingers ghosting across Kim's neck.

Kim shivered at the touch, even as her hair returned to its naturally vibrant red.

"Much better," Shego said as she leaned against the wall, pocketing the amulet.

 _Wh–What is going on?_ Kim thought. _It's like she's a completely different person._

She took a deep, steadying breath and inched closer.

"Shego–?"

The lift dinged in arrival.

 _Argh!_ she silently screamed.

The moment between them was gone in an instant as the doors slid open, Shego's expression going icy as she took in all the Global Justice agents passing by outside.

Kim's eyes darted between Shego and the unsuspecting agents and for the first time she had doubts about her plan. Not for coming, but for convincing Shego to tag along. It was like bringing a lit candle into a fireworks factory. Everything was fine until someone slipped up … and then boom.

She quickly exited the lift, making sure she was between Shego and the agents outside.

"They don't care, really," Kim said, holding out a hand for Shego.

Shego didn't accept Kim's offer as she stepped out of the lift, her whole body radiating tension.

"Kimmie, we're disaster magnets."

"Sometimes, but not here. Trust me."

It was the right thing to say as she watched Shego relax ever so slightly.

"Kimmie?"

"Hm?"

"Why're they all staring at us."

 _What?_

She had been so intent on Shego's discomfort that she had failed to notice that all the nearby agents had paused in their duties and that they were all looking at her and Shego.

 _Uh-oh!_ Kim thought.

"Hey!" a burly agent called out, striding forwards.

"Be cool," Kim whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

"Not going to happen," Shego replied, clenching her fists.

"Can I get your autographs?" the agent asked, holding out a notebook and pen.

With that simple question it was if a dam had broken, as all the agents surged forwards to ask the same, or to shake their hands, and to take photos with them both.

Kim was used to this reaction, it was why she had worn the amulet through New York. What she wasn't used to was playing second fiddle, because most of the agents adoration was centered on Shego. Kim wasn't jealous, just worried how Shego would handle it all. Luckily, she need not have worried. Shego seemed so shocked and overwhelmed that she kind of went along with it.

 _Well, she used to be a hero in Go City. I'm sure she's done all this before_.

Eventually the small crowd dispersed, leaving behind a smiling Kim and a frazzled Shego.

"We did save the world together," Kim said as a way of explanation. "And you… Well, you're kind of a legend in certain circles."

"Uh-huh," Shego replied.

~o0o~

Dr. Director looked up as her office door opened, frowning at the interruption. She opened her mouth to castigate whoever it was, as her personal assistant would never end let anyone in without informing her first. To her surprise, Kim walked in, closely followed by Shego. Dr. Director kept her expression carefully neutral even as her mind spun ahead with plots and counterplots as to why they were here. She had been trying to get Kim to visit ever since the new headquarters had opened, and that had been months ago. As for Shego, it was like seeing a unicorn in her front yard.

"I see," Dr. Director said, carefully managing her response. "And my assistant?"

"She's fine," Kim replied, flicking her eyes back towards the door. "Sleeping on the job, actually."

Dr. Director took this in even as she glanced at Shego, then back at Kim.

"If you wanted to talk about Antarctica, you could have just called?" Dr. Director said. "There was no need for all this cloak-and-dagger, and assaulting one of my agents."

"She'll be fine," Shego drawled, holding up a hand. "Won't even have a headache when she wakes."

"I'm well-aware of your Glow, and what you can do with it."

"Good! 'Cause I've got some questions for you!"

"Guys! Settle," Kim said, her gaze on Dr. Director even as she touched Shego's arm.

Dr. Director watched Shego calm, something passing between the two women.

 _At least I now know why Kim disappeared, she finally caught up with Shego._ She pushed her paperwork to the side and gestured for them both to sit. She would have preferred to do this in private with just Kim, but they came as a pair. It was there in their body language and their interactions. _Well, time to find out if they are in a relationship, and to narrow down why they came to see me._

Kim sat and looked completely at ease, while Shego stood with her arms crossed.

"Who was it?" Shego demanded as she glared at Dr. Director. "Who the fuck put Mendelos on ice?"

 _Good cop, bad cop?_ Dr. Director thought. She took in Kim's pained expression. _No, just bad cop_. "That's classified."

"That's total bullshit, and you know it! You covered it up, that Mendelos was there at the Baxter Building. I lost Rachel that night, and you lied to the police about it, about my involvement, and then you tried to blackmail me! So who the hell ordered it?"

"Betty, she needs to know why it all happened," Kim said.

Dr. Director maintained her calm visage even though Shego had just dropped a bombshell.

 _We tried to blackmail her? What kind of operation were you running back then, John?_ She drummed her fingers in thought and came to a decision. "Kim, Shego, if you were agents of Global Justice, I might declassify some of the files for you, but you're not." She leaned forwards. "Kim you've chosen to remain on the outer, and Shego's a former villain, so it would be criminally negligent of me to reveal such classified intel to you"

"Tell me who it was, or so help me…" Shego growled, flames flickering around her fingers. "Because I will find out, eventually!"

"Are you threatening one of my agents?" Dr. Director said as she stood up, hands on her desk. "Come at me all you want, but go after one of my agents and I'll bring the full force of Global Justice down upon you. You're on a paper-thin amnesty, Shego. And I'm sure there are those who would hate to see you go on the run again?" She pointedly looked at Kim. "Or to jail!"

Kim was up and in front of Shego before Shego had even uncrossed her arms, Kim whispering quiet, calming words to her.

Dr. Director watched them, gaining valuable insight. She had deliberately pushed Shego's buttons just to see what would happen, and it was everything she expected. They were in a relationship, each making the other stronger.

 _John Blake may no longer be director, yet I'm still cleaning up his messes_.

She sat back down, making links where there were none before.

 _This mystery villain is interested in Shego. John goes missing. Then someone tries to remove this Mendelos from our facility, and he's somehow linked to both of them. It can't be a coincidence! Someone's playing the long game, and we're already a step behind._

"Betty?" Kim said, resting her hands on the edge of the desk.

"Yes?" Dr. Director replied.

"If I joined Global Justice, like right now, would you give us the file on Mendelos?"

There it was, the breakthrough that Dr. Director had been waiting for, for over a year. She watched it instantly come apart as Shego's hand came down on Kim's shoulder, unspoken words passing between the two women.

Kim tilted her head then nodded at Shego, cleared her throat, and turned back to Dr. Director.

"Dr. Director, I'd like to formally request that Shego and I lead the mission to capture and contain Mendelos. We've both fought him, so we're clearly the best operatives for the job."

"I see… but you're too late. My agents already have his compound under surveillance, and I have additional reinforcements on the way. We'll secure him and bring him in, so there's no need to concern yourselves about him anymore."

"Your men will be useless against him!" Shego stated.

"My men are exceptionally well-trained," Dr. Director replied.

"He can mind-control with just a touch!"

"You appear to be fine."

"I can do this," Shego snapped, igniting her Glow. "Your men can't. Each and every agent you send is just adding to his army."

"Interesting," Dr. Director said. "Kim?"

"It's true," Kim replied. "He's got some bastardization of Team Go's Glow, and a weird range of abilities because of it. Regeneration, metal manipulation, power absorption, and mind-control are what we know of. He's sure to have more. We think they're the main reason why he's so mutated."

"Well, thank you for the information. Anything else you'd like to add?" She glanced between Kim and Shego. "No? Then let's talk about the surrender of both your hovercrafts–"

"Didn't you hear what Kimmie just said?" Shego snapped.

"I did, and now you listen to me," Dr. Director calmly replied. "Global Justice, in all its incarnations, has been taking down villains since before you were born. We're exceptionally good at it. We'll be able to handle this Mendelos, no matter what he throws at us."

~o~

Shego hurried out of Dr. Director's office, following an angry Kim. She caught up to her in the hallway, Kim smiling and waiting for her. It was such a dramatic change that Shego instantly called bullshit on the argument that Kim and Dr. Director had just had.

"It was all an act, wasn't it?" Shego said.

"Why, whatever do you mean?" Kim replied with wide, innocent eyes.

"Yeah… we really do need to work on your lying face."

"I'm quite happy with my lying face, thank you very much. Because I don't. But I _was_ angry and frustrated with her, so I used it as a diversion to plant a bug under her desk."

"You bugged her office?!"

"I did."

"Maybe there's hope for you yet."

"Well, it's the fastest way for Wade to find Mendelos, so that makes it the best way for us to save those agents. Wade will probably even have his location by the time we get topside. So, ready to go get the big bad?"

"Kimmie, I was born ready."

 **~o0o~**

I have a lot to say here, but I won't. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

~o0o~


End file.
